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India and the Philippines at the top: Albania is being filled with foreign workers

2026-08-24 12:05:07Biznes SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

India and the Philippines at the top: Albania is being filled with foreign

Albania is increasingly transforming from a country that exports labor force, into a market that is attracting workers from abroad. The latest INSTAT data show a strong increase in the number of foreigners living legally in the country, where employment is now the main reason for residence, while India and the Philippines are increasingly accounting for new flows.

At the end of 2025, there were 32,163 foreigners with residence permits in Albania, an increase of 46.6% compared to 2024. Just a year ago, their number was around 21.9 thousand, which means that within a year the stock of foreigners with residence permits has increased by over 10 thousand people.

The increase becomes even more noticeable when compared to previous years. The INSTAT graph shows that in 2021 Albania had around 14.9 thousand foreigners with residence permits, in 2022 around 18.2 thousand, in 2023 around 21.5 thousand and in 2024 around 21.9 thousand. In 2025 the number jumped to 32.2 thousand. So, in just four years, the number of foreigners with residence permits has more than doubled.

Over half of foreigners stay for work

The most important change is related to the labor market. According to INSTAT, 55.1% of residence permits are for employment reasons, making work the main motive for foreigners' presence in Albania.

After employment, family reunification ranks second, with 19.8% of permits, while 14.1% are granted for other reasons. Humanitarian purposes represent 7.9% and study only 3.1%.

The figures confirm a phenomenon that has become increasingly evident in the Albanian economy: the labor shortage, created among other things by emigration and demographic changes, is being covered to an increasing extent through workers coming from abroad.

Explosion in the number of foreigners from Asia

Although Europe continues to have the main weight, the strongest dynamics are coming from Asia.

At the end of 2025, 17,022 people or 52.9% of foreigners with residence permits were from Europe, an increase of 18.5% compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, the number of foreigners from Asia reached 9,891 people, increasing by a full 117.6% within a year. Foreigners from America, Africa and Oceania together reached 5,250 people, an increase of 73.4%.

This shift is also clearly seen in the main countries of origin.

Kosovo continues to hold the first place, with 6,284 people, or 19.5% of the total. Italy ranks second with 4,065 people, or 12.6%. But immediately behind them are now two Asian countries: India with 2,886 people, or 9% of the total, and the Philippines with 2,401 people, or 7.5%.

These two countries have also recorded the highest growth rates. The number of citizens from the Philippines has increased by 136.1%, while that of Indian citizens by 87.6% compared to 2024.

This shows that the profile of immigration to Albania is changing rapidly. Alongside foreigners from neighboring countries or Italy, who have traditionally had a significant presence, an increasingly large community of workers from Asian countries is being created.

India and the Philippines, 1 in 4 applications for residence permits

The trend is expected to continue, given the influx of new applications.

INSTAT reports that the number of applications for residence permits during 2025 increased by 43.5% compared to 2024. Citizens from India and the Philippines alone accounted for 26.6% of all applications, or more than one in every four requests.

The demographic structure also shows a presence strongly linked to the labor market. 65% of foreigners with a residence permit are men and 35% are women, while the most represented age group is 30-39 years old, with 24.5% of the total.

The combination of working age, male dominance, and the fact that over half of the permits are employment-related reinforces the economic profile of the new wave of immigration to Albania.

Foreigners with irregular residence are also on the rise

In parallel with the increase in regular immigration, the number of people identified as having irregular residence has also increased.

During 2025, 1,926 irregular foreigners were identified, up from 1,540 people in 2024, or about 25% more.

The 2025 data thus provide a clear signal of a gradual change in Albania's migration profile. The country continues to have high emigration of its own citizens, but in parallel, Albanian businesses are increasingly looking for a workforce abroad.

The 46.6% increase in foreigners with residence permits in just one year and, in particular, the doubling of the presence from Asia show that the import of labor is no longer a peripheral phenomenon. It is gradually becoming a component of the Albanian labor market, while the lack of local workers is also changing the map of immigration to Albania. (Ekofin.al)


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