Denada Jushi
For more than a decade, EU membership has been the rhetoric of every political party, but also the dream of many citizens. However, this promise still remains distant, even though the discourse has intensified that the “green light” could come in 2030.
But, apparently, according to the data of published by Monitor, Albanians have found a "solution":
Instead of waiting indefinitely to enter the EU, they are choosing to immigrate to the EU.
In 2024, around 48.2 thousand Albanian citizens obtained citizenship in one of the European Union countries, according to Eurostat data.
Obtaining citizenship is the process through which a person legally becomes a citizen of a country, acquiring rights and obligations towards it, which then enables them to obtain a passport of that country.
This trend is constantly increasing, even though the government declares every day that living conditions are improving in the country and opportunities for economic development are increasing.
Compared to 2023, citizenships granted to Albanian citizens by EU countries have increased by 8.1%. In the last three years, the EU has granted an average of 44–45 thousand citizenships per year to Albanians.
These data show the highest rates since 2018, clearly signaling that we are facing a new wave of immigration.
What has long been raising alarm is that most of this exodus is related to professionals and the country's middle class, which is producing other crises, such as a lack of staff and the difficulty of finding specialists in some fields.
Since 2010, around 632 Albanians have received a passport in one of the EU countries, while in the last decade alone, 522 citizenships have been granted.
The highest level was recorded in 2016, with around 60–67 thousand citizenships per year.
The figure of 522 thousand Albanians who have obtained EU citizenship in the last decade is also closely related to the shrinking population in the country, which, during the two censuses 2011–2023, decreased by about 420 thousand people. This decline has been mainly influenced by emigration, but also by the decline in the natural increase of the population, as a result of fewer births.
But which countries welcome Albanians? And which country remains the least "generous"?
Italy is the main country that allows Albanians to obtain citizenship. Since 2008, this country has granted around 375 thousand citizenships to Albanians, becoming one of the main destinations for integration.
Meanwhile, Greece, although it has a similar number of immigrants to Italy (around 500 each), has been more "hands-off" in granting citizenship, granting around 264 since 2007.
Countries like Germany are becoming increasingly liberal.
In Germany, to obtain a passport, you must first obtain citizenship, usually after about 5 years of residence, with knowledge of the German language (level B1), a stable income, and no legal problems.
Although the rules have been relaxed, Germany remains stricter than many other EU countries, with clear requirements for language, income and integration.
This country has been among the most popular in the recent wave of immigration, and it seems that many Albanians are meeting the requirements. In 2024, Germany granted the highest number of citizenships to Albanians ever, with 310. For comparison, from 2002 to 2023, that is, in 21 years, this country had granted only about 8,100 citizenships.
Emigration to Germany is often associated with medical professionals, causing the country not only depopulation, but also the departure of students and specialists who should be contributing to one of the most important sectors.
Next in line are countries like Belgium, which has granted around 8.7 thousand citizenships to Albanians since 2022, followed by France, Sweden, etc.
From this perspective, it is clear that, as we wait to join the EU, citizens are moving towards it. Immigration continues to remain one of the main problems, which, unfortunately, is still not being addressed with appropriate measures.
Europe that attracts: a migration magnet that doesn't stop
At the European level, what is happening to Albanians is not an isolated phenomenon, but part of a much broader migratory dynamic that characterizes the EU itself.
According to Eurostat data, in 2024 alone, around 4.2 million people migrated to EU countries from outside the EU, while another 1.5 million moved within the European Union itself. At the same time, around 1.6 million people left the EU for countries outside it, indicating that the movement is two-way, but with a still positive balance for entries.
Another significant element is related to the profile of immigrants. According to data, the average age of immigrants in the EU is around 30 years old, significantly lower than the average of the general European population (around 45 years old).
European migration policies are also increasingly geared towards attracting skilled workers to fill labor market shortages. This explains why Albanian professionals, especially in sectors such as medicine or technology, are finding it easier to integrate into some EU countries.
In this context, the choice of Albanians to "go to the EU", instead of waiting for Albania's entry into it, is not simply a reaction to domestic reality, but also a response to a European market that seeks and absorbs these citizens.acqj.al
