Starting from January 1, 2024, citizens of Kosovo will enjoy visa-free travel to Schengen countries, opening new opportunities for tourism and family visits. However, the anticipated visa liberalization is expected to lead to a significant emigration wave, with predictions suggesting that within the next year alone, around 150,000 Kosovo citizens may leave the country.
Agim Shahini, the head of the Kosovo Business Alliance, shared insights from a study conducted by the “Riinvest” Institute, indicating that this emigration trend might be a result of the current economic and political climate. According to the study, if there are currently 360,000 to 380,000 contributors to the workforce in Kosovo, and the total workforce is around 850,000, a substantial portion is unemployed. This points to the potential departure of approximately 150,000 citizens, posing a serious challenge to Kosovo. Shahini emphasized that these citizens are not only unemployed but also include individuals with employment contracts seeking better opportunities abroad.
The study suggests that factors such as the recent terrorist attack in Banjska, sanctions from the EU, and a decline in foreign investments have influenced citizens’ perceptions of Kosovo as facing challenging circumstances. As a result, many consider emigration as the best option to secure a better life for themselves and their families.
The “Riinvest” Institute reported that 17.59% of their employees have expressed intentions to emigrate within the next year. The construction sector in Kosovo is particularly affected, with an estimated 32.72% of workers planning to emigrate. To counter this trend, 79% of businesses have increased salaries, with a 22.23% wage increase. However, despite these efforts, a significant number of businesses plan to continue increasing wages, and 24.5% aim to improve working conditions.
The institute recommended a thorough review of existing economic and budgetary policies to favor capital investments and address the challenges contributing to emigration.
Jusuf Azemi, the head of the Independent Union of the Private Sector, emphasized that even higher wages might not be sufficient to prevent young people from leaving the country in search of better job opportunities.
People’s disillusionment with unfulfilled promises, combined with external and internal factors such as political instability and economic challenges, has created an environment where emigration seems to be the preferred choice for many.
It is noteworthy that Kosovo currently lacks updated data on poverty, with the latest available figures from 2017 indicating that 18% of the population lives in poverty, while 5.1% face extreme poverty.
As of the 1st of this month, Kosovo citizens gained the freedom to travel to numerous European countries without a visa. However, it’s crucial to note that this visa liberalization is intended only for short-term visits, such as tourism or family matters, and does not grant work permits or other long-term benefits.
In recent years, a significant number of Kosovo citizens have obtained work visas for EU countries, particularly Germany. The German Embassy in Pristina reported a 110% increase in the issuance of work visas in the past year. Currently, Kosovo is the only country in the Western Balkans whose citizens cannot move freely in the Schengen area.
The Kosovo Agency of Statistics does not yet have data for 2022 and this year, but those for 2021 show that over 42,000 residents have left Kosovo for various reasons, including employment. According to the Kosovo Agency of Statistics, the majority of them have been legal.
