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Albania, the under-explored jewel of the Balkan peninsular, lies along the Adriatic and Ionian Sea coastlines. It is a mystical country steeped in history, culture and beauty. Sharing boarders with Montenegro and Kosovo in the north, with Macedonia in the east and Greece in the south Albania proudly boasts areas of outstanding natural beauty from stunning, forested mountain ranges and protected National Parks to unspoilt, golden beaches with clear turquoise waters. It is also home to Butrint, Gjirokaster and Berat a UNESCO sites dating back to the Romans and there are many Byzantine castles worth exploring. Combining the picturesque landscapes, heritage and the Mediterranean climate it is understandable that Albania is becoming a more popular tourist destination and why in 2011 it was first in the top ten countries to visit in the Lonely Planet guide.
The country has so much more to offer than it’s countryside. The hospitality of the local people cannot be emphasised enough. The local Albanian people are known for their welcoming generosity and friendliness towards foreigners. With great pride in their country guests will be respected and greeted with the warmest of welcomes.
Albania, on Southeastern Europe’s Balkan Peninsula, is a small country with Adriatic
and Ionian coastlines and an interior crossed by the Albanian Alps. The country has
many castles and archaeological sites. Capital Tirana centers on sprawling Skanderbeg
Square, site of the National History Museum, with exhibits spanning antiquity to post-
communism, and frescoed Et’hem Bey Mosque.
Albania have always been considered as a unique country in terms of religion
and religious tolerance is one of the main characteristics of Albanians. Christianity has
a long and eventful history in the country whereby it belongs to one of the most ancient
countries of Christianity.
Albania has amazing food, fascinating cities, and beautiful beaches…just without
the price tag. Compared with the likes of Italy and Greece, Albania is dramatically more
affordable, and its currency is also widely accessible and reasonably priced for those
looking to experience all the Highlights of Albania.
Tavë kosi is a national dish in Albania that is beloved throughout the country. The
Speciality is a simple dish of baked lamb and rice, served with a flavored yogurt sauce.
Recently, it has become very popular among the Greeks and Turks associated to the
large Albanian diaspora in Greece and Turkey.
The low cost of life in Albania is one of its biggest pros. Housing, food, transportation, and other necessities for everyday life are at much lower prices than in most European countries. Most newcomers tend to pick Tirana as their place to live.
Albania is increasing foreign tourists every year. However, the Republic may be interesting not only in terms of rest but also as a permanent residence and business, so potential immigrants need to know all the features of residence in that country.
Life in Albania has both its pros and cons, which should be learned before making a move decision. To obtain legal status in Albania you have few ways.
In Albania, a legal marriage must have two witnesses and be done through the
local government. For many, this means the couple and a few close friends and
family simply go together to the mayor's office to sign the certificate and legally tie the
knot Foreigners who have been married to Albanian citizens for three years or more can apply for citizenship by Naturalisation if they have lived in Albania on a residence permit and have not left the country for at least 12 months
Marriage with a citizen of Albania is one of the fastest ways to obtain citizenship. At the time of application, the spouses must be married for at least three years, with a minimum of one year the applicant must live in Albania legally. The remaining marriage immigration conditions meet standard naturalization requirements, as detailed below.
The cost of registering a company in Albania is $3570. The total cost includes the
preparation of legal documents, company registration, Payment of all taxes and fees at
the time of registration and legal address for the company (a year).
Under Albanian law, foreign nationals have the right to open their enterprises in Albania without any restrictions. The main condition is to place the company on tax service within five days of the application for registration of the business in the Albanian Commercial Register.
Once the firm is registered, the founder shall be issued as a fiscal code of the enterprise and VAT taxpayer. To obtain a business permit, the alien must present the company’s documents as evidence of the existence of long-term residence in Albania.
Start a travel agency.
Start a real estate business.
Start a CRM business.
Start a food delivery business.
Start a consulting business.
Start an art business.
Become a software developer.
Start a mobile app development business.
Foreign citizens can be granted a temporary or permanent stay only by the provision of a residence permit.
Article 33 of the Law on Foreigners defines:
“The authority responsible for border and migration shall issue one of the 21 following types of residence permits to the foreign citizens intending to reside in the Republic of Albania for a period longer than 90 days within 180 days, following fulfillment of the requirements foreseen in this law:
Moreover, the law specifies that the application for a residence permit must be conforming to the purpose of the visa used for entering Albania.
Residence permits are issued for:
Further on, there are specific residence permits for the following categories:
The residence permit in Albania is issued to foreigners if evidence is provided of reasons for long-term residence. The first time the GNW is issued for three months to two years. The duration of the residence permit for each application is determined by migration workers individually.
To obtain a residence permit in Albania, the following conditions are necessary:
The formation of the Temporary residence permit in Albania in the purchase of real property is considered by the migration service in each case individually. The Albanian authorities mainly welcome such investments and meet foreign buyers. However, to avoid risking, apart from the presence of real estate, it is desirable to have a stronger basis for long-term residence in the country.
According to the above-mentioned law on foreigners, foreign citizens equipped with a residence permit may submit an application for family reunion purposes only if the following conditions are met:
family reunification to the authority responsible for asylum and
refugees, completing the special request form, only if he has resided
legally in the territory of the Republic of Albania for a period that does
not exceed 2 (two) years, before his family members join him.
If you’re from a VISA-free country, you can get a permanent residence permit if you buy real estate. Alternatives are, registering a business or getting a work contract.
A recent survey conducted by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Albanian Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) helps to identify the country’s most dynamic employment landscapes. Currently, the most in-demand jobs are call center operators, tailors, and other specialists in the apparel and footwear industry, waiters and counter jobs, mining and construction specialists, drivers, sanitation workers, etc. These are just a few among the topmost in-demand jobs in the Albanian market. On the other hand, there is a low demand for highly-qualified professionals. The survey conducted in over 2,600 businesses in all the county’s regions shed light on the market’s need in the middle term.
Everyone who is not an Albanian citizen and wants to work in the country for more than
three months must apply for a work permit. Your employees have to complete their work
permit requests before starting a job. It typically takes no more than 30 days after submitting the documentation to get an approval or denial.
The list of in-demand skills also reflects the economic model in Albania. The latter focuses on the exploitation of natural resources and low-cost sectors like manufacturing and retail. In the meantime, highly qualified professionals find a limited number of opportunities.
In Albania, general job opportunities include roles in tourism, hospitality, IT, agriculture, education, and administration. Salaries vary depending on the industry, level of experience, and location, but generally, they are lower compared to Western European countries.
Based on the purpose of the visit and the duration of the stay, the Albanian permits can be classified into the following –
Note- These are the main types of visa. There are further variations to these according to the more specific type of the visit.
Those who are not Albanian citizens and wish to work in Albania for more than three months need a work permit. The request for the work permit should be completed before starting a job. All the required documents for the application can be obtained from the Migration Office, Albanian Embassy in one’s country of origin, or at the regional labor office. Generally, the granting or refusal of a work permit takes no longer than 30 days after submitting the appropriate documentation. A work permit can be granted with or without time restrictions. The validity period of the work permit is based on the type of work permit.
The work permit will expire if:
the deadline is exceeded
the foreigner leaves Albania for a period longer than six months
or he/she does not start the activity for a period of three months from the date the work permit is issued.
Foreigners who will start an economic activity on the territory of the Republic of Albania are provided with the following types of work permits
| Type of documents |
| Application from the employer according to the standard form; |
| All documents from the company that will employ him/her; (Documents of EPPC, like fiscal status with zero obligations, financial statements, labor declarations, etc.) |
| Employment contract; |
| Passport copy of the employee; |
| Authorization from the employer to submit documents; |
| Diploma/Graduation/Professional Certificate for the employer knowledge; (Translation and notarizing are needed. Tariff is around 20-30 USD. Depending on text and language.) |
| Five photos. |
If you need to have your ex-pat personnel legally work for you in Albania without setting up your business entity, trust us to assist you with work permits and immigration support, and then employ your ex-pats locally on your behalf.
Contact our team to let us take up your foreign employees’ immigration matters and relieve you of the responsibility of getting a work permit by working with our local partners to organize and obtain all the necessary permits, as well as provide you with a detailed update on the progress of the process.
The most popular job in Albania
Call centre operators
Tailors and other specialists in the apparel and footwear industry
Servers and counter jobs,
Mining and construction specialists
Drivers
Sanitation workers
Visa Type “A” Airport transit visa.
Visa Type “C” Short stay visa.
Visa Type “D” Long stay visa.
You can apply for a short-term or a long-term visa.
1. A short-term allows you to stay for 90 days in Albania, or
2. Long-stay visa to stay in Albania for one year. If you plan to stay longer than three
months with a long-term visa, you must apply for a residence permit.Working permits
