The Albanian Tourist Union calls for easing the procedures for issuing residence permits to foreign workers, as it considers it impossible to meet the demand for workers within the country. According to the tour operators, the country’s tourism sector needs 30 thousand workers, mainly in hospitality, food and beverage, beaches and transport.

At the most recent meeting held by the leaders of the Albanian Tourist Union, they presented their requests to the Ministry of Tourism. They include: The implementation of off-season insurance in legal act, establishment of dedicated public transport lines to the coast, establishing a Tourism Academy to increase professional capacities for quality tourism, increased participation in international fairs and regional promotional activities. On of the demands is meeting the need for about 30 thousand new jobs in the sector, mainly in hospitality, F&B, beaches, tourist transport, etc.

According to the Albanian Tourist Union, employees can be taken from international markets and for this purpose, the Director of Immigration, present at the meeting, was asked to simplify the procedures for providing residence permits to foreign employees.

Albania, for a long time seen as a country of emigration several years ago started to the reverse flow. Nearly 22,000 foreign nationals held Albanian residence permits in 2024, up 2.2% from 2023, as companies fill labor gaps with Indian workers in construction and Filipinos in services, according to INSTAT data.

Citizens of Kosovo remain the largest group (4,592 permits), followed by Italians (3,763) and Turkish. In 2024, India and the Philippines entered the top five countries of origin, reflecting active recruitment pipelines. Year over year, the share of residents from European countries fell by over 5%, while arrivals from Africa rose 23% and from Asia 20%.

The country’s booming tourism industry is experiencing a shortage of workers, creating a demand that industry groups are calling to address by simplifying work permits for international employees. The country is increasingly hiring from countries like the Philippines, India, and other nations to meet the need.

In 2024, more than 11.7 million foreign tourists visited the small Balkan country, and officials expect that number to rise to 15 million by the end of 2025 — a figure nearly four times the Albania’s population.