Greece is no longer the preferred destination for Albanians with long-term residence permits/ The figures are alarming, the high number who left the neighboring country for the west

The Ministry for Emigration and Asylum in Greece reports that only in February of this year, about 277 thousand Albanian citizens with regular residence permits, from about 424 thousand who were registered in February 2022.

According to official data, Albanians now make up 60% of regular foreigners in Greece from 62.7% a year ago.

According to the Greek Ministry for Immigration and Asylum, the residence permits of citizens of third countries valid in February of this year are a total of about 463 thousand, marking a decrease of 32%, compared to February of 2022.

The three main countries of origin of third-country nationals with valid residence permits are Albania with 60.0%, China with 5.0%, followed by Georgia with 4.3%, says the Greek Ministry of Immigration.

In February 2023, a total of 15,807 requests for residence permits were submitted, of which 7,370 were for new residence permits and 8,437 were for renewal of residence permits, with a decrease of 29% compared to February 2022.

Greek authorities have issued 10,232 residence permits, a decrease of 10% compared to February 2022.

According to the Greek Ministry of Immigration and Asylum, the largest number of new residence permits for applicants filed in the first two months of 2023 in Greece was for citizens from Albania, China and Russia.

Meanwhile, about 13,700 citizens from Albania, members of the Greek minority, who have been living and working in Greece for years, have the "homogeneous status". This is a special status, which has allowed them regular stay in Greece for years and unhindered movement at the border even when Greece applied for Albania the "visa regime".

According to immigration analysts, the significant decrease in the number of regular Albanian immigrants in Greece, especially in the space of one year, is related to many factors.

Sipas analistëve një faktor madhor në uljen e numrit të shqiptarëve në Greqi lidhet me një prirje të re të emigrantëve shqiptarë që punonin e jetonin prej vitesh në Greqi të emigrojnë drejt vendeve të tjera europiane.

Migrimi i ri i brezit të dytë është kthyer në një dukuri pasi shumë të rinj shqiptarë po largohen tani nga Greqia drejt vendeve si Anglia, Gjermania, Holanda dhe zonat e Europës Veriore, pas vështirësive në Greqi me punësimin dhe pagat e ulta.

Meanwhile, other factors of the decrease in the number of Albanians with residence permits are related to the procedures for issuing permits which continue to move slowly, while a category of second-generation Albanian immigrants have benefited from Greek citizenship by no longer applying for residence permits. VOA