The desire of Albanian citizens to emigrate has remained high over the years. However, what stands out most is the departure of highly educated individuals from the country. According to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in its Transition Report 2025–2026, one in four educated Albanians from the 2000–2003 cohorts have emigrated, mainly to European Union countries, the United States of America, and Canada. The trend of emigration among the educated population remains high.

For these individuals, Albania does not offer sufficient capacity to fully utilize their knowledge and skills, prompting them to seek professional advancement outside the country.

More than 40% continue to view emigration as a solution for professional and financial development, while this demographic gap is increasingly translating into a significant economic slowdown for the country.

Similar findings have been highlighted in previous reports by Eurostat and the OECD. According to Eurostat, Albanian nationals ranked 11th among non-EU nationalities residing in the European Union in 2024, but ranked first when this figure is calculated in relation to Albania’s total population.

Meanwhile, supporting these findings, the OECD notes in its report “International Migration Outlook 2025”, published in June 2025, that Albania remains among the countries with the highest levels of emigration of highly educated individuals.