Albania, with the highest emigration rates in Europe, IOM: Cause, low wages and corruption

2024-08-27 07:38:00, Aktualitet CNA

Albania, with the highest emigration rates in Europe, IOM: Cause, low wages and

Illustrative photo

Albania and Moldova are the countries most affected in Europe by the high level of immigration in relation to the population, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) noted in the global report for 2024.

Mainly, due to the lack of employment prospects with decent wages, many people have left some EU sub-regions to work in Western and Northern Europe.

"Countries such as Albania and the Republic of Moldova are some of the hardest hit; around 40% of Albania's workforce, for example, is estimated to be working abroad, contributing to a brain drain, putting pressure on local industries and economies that are constantly losing workers to both low-skilled and the high one", noted the IOM.

The International Organization for Migration lists as reasons high poverty rates, wage differences between Albania and other countries in the region, corruption and considerable clientelism that have influenced people's decisions to leave our country.

IOM notes that thousands of young Albanians have made difficult journeys to reach Northern Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, where many risk their lives crossing the English Channel in small boats or dinghies.

A similar trend can be seen in the Republic of Moldova, with about a quarter of its "economically active" population working abroad.

The complete occupation of Ukraine by the Russian Federation which has resulted in a cost of living crisis all over the world, including the countries of the sub-region, has forced even more Moldovans to leave the country.

Other countries like Bulgaria and Serbia are no exception and continue to see many of their young people leave.

While many who leave are regular migrant workers who end up working in the Russian Federation or in Western and Northern European countries, there has also been an increase in the number of irregular migrants from some countries in the sub-Region.

In the coming decades, migration will be the only driver of population growth in high-income countries, notes the IOM, while it will be the main cause of population decline in poor and developing countries.

Emigration to Albania continues at high rates in the third decade of transition. The rates of emigration strengthened even further in the last decade instead of decreasing, putting the Albanian economy and the long-term perspective of the country in difficulties.

The latest population census data pertaining to 2023 showed that the country's population has decreased by 420 thousand people between 2011-2023 as a result of high immigration, since the natural increase, despite having suffered a decrease, is still positive.

The Albanian diaspora abroad has reached over 1.6 million people and this is as much as 66% of the population living in the country./ Monitor