TIRANA, Sept. 3 – The number of Albanians living in Italy has overtaken that in crisis hit neighbouring Greece which has traditionally been the major destination of Albanians during the past two decades of the country’s transition to democracy. Recent data published by the Greek and Italian Institute of Statistics show there are around 1 million Albanian migrants holding Albanian citizenship both in Italy and Greece with Italy having a slight advantage.
Latest data from Greece’s population and housing census in 2011 show Albanian migrants are the largest group of foreigners in Greece with a 53 percent share or around 481,000. Meanwhile, data published by Italy’s Institute of Statistics show there were around 498,000 Albanians residing in Italy in early 2013.
The number of Albanians residing in Greece has probably further decreased considering the ongoing recession in the neighbouring country and the ongoing number of Albanians permanently returning home due to growing unemployment rates. The latest data by Greece’s statistical Authority (ELSTAT) show Greece’s resident population is at 10.8 million of whom around 912,000 are foreigners.
Data published by Italian Institute of Statistics ISTAT show Albanians are the second largest non-EU group in Italy after the Moroccans with around half a million migrants. Statistics show that despite the crisis in the neighbouring country off the Adriatic the number of Albanians in Italy continues increasing, but at sharply slower pace. In January 2013, ISTAT reports some 497,761 Albanians residing in Italy, only 6,266 people more compared to 2012, which is one of the lowest historical growth rates. ISTAT data show some 66 percent of the Albanian community in Italy or 328,502 have obtained stay permits. In 2012, there were some 19,000 new arrivals of Albanians to Italy, a considerably lower figure compared to the previous two years. Data show some 8,101 Albanians were granted Italian citizenship in 2012.
Albanians are one of the ten largest groups of foreign residents of EU member states, accounting for 3.2 percent of the EU total foreign population, according to a Eurostat report. The EU’s statistical office ranked Albania as the sixth biggest foreign community resident in the EU 27 with around 1 million people.
Greek media: Albanians giving up on Greece
With Greece already undergoing an exodus of professionals and its young escaping a crushing economic crisis that has shut out their future, prospects are so bleak that even Albanian immigrants who used to get into the country by any means possible are trying to get out, says Greek Reporter. According to the latest report by the Albanian Center for Competitiveness and International Trade (ACIT), 18 to 22 percent of Albanian migrants who lived and worked in Greece have returned in Albania, about some 180,000 people. Greece’s Ta Nea newspaper, noting the phenomenon, reported that high taxes and a soaring cost of living, along with limited opportunities and Greece’s record 27.4 percent unemployment rate were the main reasons.
”The financial crisis forces Albanians of our country to repatriate in a country they have never seen. After a multi-annual stay in Greece, adjustment in the paternal homes is not easy for all Albanians,” the report said. ACIT stressed out that this return migration wave is expected to put strong pressure to the country’s public services and mostly to the educational and health system. A huge wave of migrants returning home, lower trade exchanges, investments and remittances are some of the most obvious impacts the economic crisis in neighbouring Greece, the top investor and second most important trade partner, has had in Albania in the past five years, according to a recent study conducted by The Albanian Centre for Competitiveness and International Trade (ACIT). The study published in late 2012 found that around 180,000 Albanian migrants, or 18 to 22 percent of the total Albanian migrants in Greece, have returned home during the past five years, and there are few advisory and information services for investment and job opportunities.
