Unemployment at the lowest historical level, 8.8% for ages over 15

Prime Minister Edi Rama and the Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation, Blendi Gonxha, held today a meeting at the Tirana Industrial Park premises with business representatives and area staff, focusing on discussing employment and vocational training policies. The meeting aimed at discussing policies on strengthening a more sustainable and comprehensive job market, establishing education and vocational training as essential pillars for development. Minister Gonxhja presented a summary of the radical transformation that the labor market has undergone from 2013 to the present, emphasizing the achievements and reforms undertaken. Gonxha also listed 26 vocational education schools in which he was invested.

Employment and Training Reform (2013–2024)

In 2014, national employment and skill reforms began, with the approval of the 2014–2020 national strategy, which laid the foundations for the integration of the labor market with vocational education and the promotion of dignified employment. During these years, a 5-fold funding has been implemented for employment promotion programs and a modern system of employment services, including digitization and profile of jobseekers, has been built.

Since 2016, the modernization of the labor office infrastructure and the mass training of job seekers began, while in 2017 the new law on vocational education and training was adopted and the professions were standardized through a catalog of qualifications.

In 2019 the National Employment and Skills Agency (PAKA) was established, uniting for the first time employment and training policies, while 2020 brought a structured response to the Pandemia crisis with over 20,000 beneficiaries of employment support programs.

Indicators for 2024

Today, Albania marks a low unemployment of 8.8%for the 15+ age group, lower than in Greece (9.5%) and Spain (10.75%). The total number of employees has reached 1 327 000, with an increase of over 300 thousand people compared to 2013, while the average wage increased from 322 euros to 830 euros. The employment services system is already completely digitized with 12 online services, while the platform « Work.gov.al » serves as a unique center for interaction of citizens with public employment administration. 3400 people with disabilities have also been registered as active job seekers, while infrastructure investments have increased significantly with the construction of 10 new vocational schools.

Vocational education according to European model

The year 2024 marks the beginning of the implementation of dual vocational education (dual), combining school lesson with the practice in the company. A new model of excellence is piloted in collaboration with the prestigious Swiss school école hôtelière de Lausanne at the Hotel-Tourism Public School in Tirana.

Meanwhile, the labor market observatory has also been created for real -time data analysis, decision -making and better compliance between skills and demand in the market.

Minister Gonxha also praised international support for reforms, emphasizing Albania’s rankings as the country with the best employment services in the Balkans, according to the OECD assessment.