Survey: 36% of young people want to emigrate, 11% of them leave within 6 months

A survey of 680 young people aged 14-29 in Albania during the period February-March 2024, which was conducted by the “Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung”, found that Albanian youth are still gripped by an “emigration urge”, considering it as the only option when it comes to entering the global job market. Emigration is seen as an opportunity for young people.

The survey results showed that more than 40% of young people who have not yet been abroad want to leave in the future, especially young women.

More than a third of young people (36%) have a strong desire to leave the country. Among them, 11% will leave within the next 6 months.

The main factor pushing young people to leave is higher living standards and better working conditions.

More than 28% of those who want to leave do not plan to return to Albania.

The study highlighted that education is considered one of the most important issues for Albanian youth. In a global market economy where multiple skills prevail and a flexible labor market is becoming a reality, education is becoming a very valuable tool.

It is taking on great importance, especially nowadays, when young people are facing the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution or the so-called Economy 4.0, driven by information technology innovation and the unpredictable impact of Artificial Intelligence on many professions.

Most young Albanians still continue to see education abroad as the best option, and this requires quick steps for concrete measures regarding the quality of education within the country.

The study points out that Albanian society is significantly polarized in terms of wealth due to a harsh period of transition, with chaotic capitalism without clear rules and without market competition.

In this way, the social status of young people seems to be determined primarily based on the power of money and not on work and real personal contribution to the common good.

The data highlights the fact that young people face phenomena of violence and criminality, which often significantly affect the quality of their lives and the trust they have in institutions, especially those of justice.

Despite their belief in their power as an instrument of change within society, this remains more of a self-awareness than a conviction demonstrated through actions./Monitor