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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 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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
