1.4 billion euros per year, countries send more money from immigrants, surprise England, Germany, USA

2026-01-26 07:19:08, Ekonomi CNA

1.4 billion euros per year, countries send more money from immigrants, surprise

In 2024, migrants sent 1.4 billion euros to Albania, according to data published by Eurostat, which measures personal transfers. Personal transfers are mainly money that migrants send to their families, usually without any return.

The amount declared by Eurostat is higher than that reported by the Bank of Albania, according to which emigrant transfers in 2024 were around 1 billion euros.

Eurostat also publishes transfers broken down by country.

Traditionally, Italy and Greece have been the countries with the highest remittances due to the high number of immigrants who left in the early 1990s and continued to leave due to their geographical proximity.

But 2024 data show that the geography of remittances has partially changed, displacing Greece in favor of new immigration destinations, such as the United Kingdom and Germany.

Italy continues to lead the way, with immigrants living in this country sending 370 million euros in 2024, or 25.7% of total remittances.

The United Kingdom has climbed to second place, from which 243 million euros were sent in 2024. This country has hosted many Albanians in recent years, even becoming a concern for the British government, due to the high influx of illegal immigrants.

A large number of Albanians are reported to work in drugstores, which brings in quick and high incomes, which is also reflected in the transfers they are making to their relatives in Albania.

In third place is Germany, from which transfers worth 231 million euros have been sent to Albania. Germany has been a favorite destination in recent years for many professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and information technology specialists, who receive relatively high salaries, enabling them to help relatives they have left behind.

Greece, which has a high number of Albanians living and working there, is only fourth, with 202 million euros, also due to the fact that this country has land connections, which enable cash transfers.

The United States of America, the land of opportunity where many Albanians try to escape through lotteries, or various routes, ranks fifth, with 159 million euros they sent in 2024.

France, although it is the first country in terms of asylum requests, does not seem to offer many opportunities for employment and income, while remittances in 2024 were 38 million euros.

Next in line is Ireland, a country in northern Europe where many Albanians seem to have found work, sending nearly 24 million euros in personal transfers to their home country in 2024.

The ranking is followed by Canada with almost 20 million euros, Switzerland with 19.3 million euros, Belgium with 15.1 million euros and Austria with 11 million euros.

From other countries, personal transfers are lower than 10 million euros (see chart). Albanian citizens have "penetrated" to offshore financial centers, although remittances remain minimal, at 1.4 million euros per year.

Eurostat reported that around 2.1 billion euros were sent to Albania during 2024 from personal transfers and employee compensation, according to data published by Eurostat. Around 68% of this amount was personal transfers, or remittances from emigrants.

The rest, about 32%, or 663 million euros, are from personal transfers and employee compensation./Monitor.al