Albanian asylum claims in EU hit 13-year low

Applications for asylum from Albanian citizens in EU countries have fallen to their lowest level in more than a decade.

According to Eurostat, Albanians filed 1,045 asylum claims in the first three months of 2026, the lowest figure since 2013 and 28% lower than a year earlier.

France, once the main destination for Albanian asylum seekers, received just 310 applications during the period.

But the drop does not mean fewer people are leaving the country.

Work permits have become a more common route to emigration. Eurostat data show EU countries issued an average of 20,000 work permits a year to Albanian citizens between 2022 and 2024, far higher than a decade ago.

Official data also show net emigration remains high, with around 30,000 more people leaving Albania than returning each year.