Albania "in exchange"/ Foreigners increase, Albanians flee

2026-05-28 09:52:00, Sociale CNA

INSTAT statistics for April reveal an Albania in constant motion, where figures confirm that our country is serving as an increasingly frequented international meeting point, while local citizens continue to leave.

During April, the Albanian territory recorded a total of 1,617,841 entries, an increase of 8.8% compared to the same period a year earlier. Of this total, 891,414 are foreign citizens. On the other hand, the dynamics of Albanian movements remain worrying, as in April 742,088 exits of Albanian citizens were registered, an increase of 8.5% compared to April 2025.

The movement map shows that Albania remains an almost exclusive destination for European visitors. Of the 891,414 foreign nationals who entered the country, the vast majority came from our continent. Southern Europe tops the list with 621,463 entries, followed by Western Europe with 95,773 entries and Northern Europe with 46,256 entries. These figures prove that interest in our country is mainly focused on traditional continental markets.

Although 98% of foreigners declare that they come for personal or tourist reasons, their increased presence has become a significant factor in the local economy. This high influx of visitors combined with the demand for accommodation has directly impacted the real estate market, putting pressure on rental and purchase prices, which often makes life more difficult for local citizens.

On the other hand, the labor market is undergoing a transformation. While the departure of the Albanian workforce creates gaps in key sectors, the private sector is increasingly finding space to integrate foreign labor. This phenomenon is no longer simply a matter of tourism statistics, but a combination of the desire to visit Albania and the market's need to compensate for the depopulation of our productive force.

INSTAT figures prove that our country's economy is in a phase that is trying to respond to two realities, on the one hand the need to manage the large influx of foreigners who bring consumption and on the other hand the challenge of keeping Albanian citizens in the country, who are increasingly feeling the weight of the increased costs of living in their home. /CNA