Albanians head for Europe in 2017

According to EUROSTAT, during 2017 the number of residence permits issued to Albanians from European Union countries is 51 thousand and 685 people. The largest number of residence permits for Albanians have two neighbouring countries -- Italy with 19,100 and Greece with 16.468 -- and then Germany 6100 and France 1180. The number of residence permits issued in 2017 marks a slight decline compared to 2016, where some 59,000 residence permits were listed, reports Voa.

EuroOSTAT data reports that most of the permits for Albanians, about 29 thousand, were given for family reasons, about 2,000 for schooling and 5,000 for work reasons.

Meanwhile, third place from countries in the region for the highest number of residence permits in European Union countries is Kosovo. During 2017, 26 thousand new residence permits for citizens from Kosovo, most of which for family reasons, have been granted.

In recent years the trends of migration of Albanian citizens continue to remain high. According to EUROSTAT, more than half a million Albanians (approximately 19.5% of the country's population) have been equipped with permission in European Union countries in the past ten years. The largest number of licenses issued to Albanians was marked in 2008, with about 99,000 residences and the smallest number in 2013, with about 31 thousand.