Greetings from foreign workers in the Albanian language in hotels and service units in Durrës are no longer a novelty. In recent years, the tourism sector has increasingly relied on foreign labor, as businesses say they are finding it difficult to recruit local staff.

Dona is 26 years old and comes from the Philippines. For about a year, she has been working at a hotel in the beach area of Durrës and says she has quickly adapted to life and work in Albania.

“I came to work in Albania 9 months ago as a waitress. I really like your country, I like the culture. All the people are very friendly,” said Dona Cruz.

For tourism operators, hiring foreign workers is seen as a practical solution, although it often involves additional costs for accommodation and food.

“For the past 3 years, we have been hiring foreign workers, mainly Filipinos. The reason is their reliability, because the next day we don’t have surprises about whether workers will show up or not, as often happens with Albanian workers, where we receive a message in the morning saying they are sick and won’t come to work. Currently, I have 8 foreign workers, mainly Filipinos, but also from Morocco and Bangladesh. Salaries are the same, but there are accommodation and food costs; however, the benefits are their reliability and responsibility at work,” added Emiljan Isai – Business Administrator.

Employment agencies confirm that this trend is increasing and that demand for foreign workers is growing year by year, especially in sectors where there is a shortage of local labor.

“Every year, the number of foreign workers in Albania increases, as at the moment it is the only option. Developing sectors are those that require more workers, namely hospitality and construction. Over the past five years, the figures have risen significantly. At present, discipline… Albanian workers are few in number and are not willing to work in sectors such as cleaning, waiting tables, or bartending,” emphasized Suzaga Aga – Employment Agent.

As the tourist season is expected to further increase the demand for staff, businesses warn that without foreign workers, many services would struggle to function normally. The number of foreign nationals employed in Durrës has no official figures, but it is estimated that over 5,000 foreign citizens live and work in the coastal city.