Albania is losing its future: almost half of all emigrants are academics, many under the age of 34. Why the elite are leaving the country – and what this means for Albania.

Albania is facing a serious problem: the exodus of well-educated young people is reaching dramatic proportions. According to the news portal Albinfo.ch, the country in the western Balkans ranks first when it comes to the emigration of university graduates. Around 47 percent of Albanians currently leaving the country have a university degree. The under-34 age group is particularly affected, accounting for around 70 percent of all emigrants.

The healthcare sector provides a particularly drastic example: in recent years, around 3,500 Albanian doctors have left the country for Germany alone, according to Albinfo.ch. This loss of skilled workers not only pushes medical care to its limits, but also highlights the significance of the so-called “brain drain” – an intellectual exodus rarely seen before.

In total, over half a million people from Albania have applied for asylum or obtained a work or residence permit in the EU in the last five years. This figure, also published by Albinfo.ch, makes it clear that this is not just a matter of isolated emigration, but a structural movement that is shaking the country to its foundations.

The causes are complex: in addition to the difficult economic situation, profound social injustices also play a role. According to Albinfo.ch, corruption, nepotism, and the lack of meritocracy are key motives for young people to seek their fortune abroad. Many are losing faith in the future of their homeland—a phenomenon increasingly described in Albania as a “moral exodus.”

The consequences of this trend have long been felt. In rural areas, entire villages are emptying, schools are closing due to a lack of children, and hospitals are short of doctors and nurses. According to a report by SRF, some doctors in the regional hospital in the northern Albanian city of Kukës are still working past retirement age – simply because there are no young people to replace them.

The Albanian government is thus facing one of the greatest challenges of recent decades. Without effective reforms in the education system, a determined fight against corruption, and real prospects for the future for young professionals, the country risks depriving itself of its future.