War increases chances of young Albanians to work online, increasing demand from European companies

2026-05-01 07:29:00, Ekonomi CNA

War increases chances of young Albanians to work online, increasing demand from

Rising energy costs and the new uncertainty caused by the war with Iran may once again push European companies towards work-from-home models, while in parallel the search for employees outside the European Union is expected to expand, where labor and taxation costs are lower.

This is the assessment of economic expert Ergis Sefa, who says that such a development could turn into a new opportunity for young Albanians who intend to work remotely for foreign markets.

According to Sefa, if the conflict is prolonged and the wave of price increases continues, European businesses will seek more flexible forms of organization to reduce operating costs. In a situation where energy, transport and supply chains are under pressure, working from home is seen as one of the fastest ways to curb some of the expenses, while hiring staff in countries outside the EU can be used as an instrument to keep total labor costs under control.

"If the war in Iran continues and costs continue to rise, forecasts show that European companies will return to work from home models. It is even expected that they will seek more employees outside the EU for lower tax costs and this will be a new chance for young Albanians who want to work from home," he said.

This trend is not just a prediction. In Brussels, the debate on remote working has returned as part of the energy crisis management packages. The European Commission is encouraging member states to use hybrid models and working from home as a means of reducing energy consumption, especially by reducing the use of offices and the daily movement of employees. The new approach treats the organization of work as an economic instrument, not just a labor market issue.

The statement comes as the economic impact of the conflict is becoming increasingly visible in Europe. The European Commission is preparing new measures to cope with rising energy costs, while Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for coordination among member states to avoid further shocks to energy prices. Reuters reported that the war has added about 22 billion euros to the cost of fossil fuels in the EU, while Brussels itself is considering expanding state aid to the hardest-hit sectors.

The pressure has also been reflected in global oil markets. The International Energy Agency has revised down its global supply and demand forecasts, citing major supply disruptions following the escalation of the conflict. In Europe, Reuters reported that physical oil prices for immediate delivery have climbed close to $150 a barrel, as fears about supplies through the Strait of Hormuz are fueling higher costs for industry and transport. The International Energy Agency has also included working from home among its recommendations to ease the pressure from high energy prices, along with limiting travel and reducing fuel consumption.

At the European level, the LSE analysis shows that in European cities hybrid working is the dominant form: around 1 in 5 employees are in the hybrid working model, while only 1 in 10 remain fully remote. So the growth is coming more from flexibility than from working from home alone.

Eurofound also confirms that most companies have standardized 2–3 remote days per week schemes, especially for knowledge-based roles.

If this trend consolidates, the advantage will not only be in more competitive wages for European employers, but in the fact that the labor market may become less tied to geographical location. As the expert suggests, for some young Albanians, this means more opportunities to enter the European market without physically leaving the country./ Monitor