60 per cent of young people expected to leave Kosovo after liberalisation

About 60 per cent of Kosovo youth are expected to leave Kosovo after visa liberalisation to seek a better life in Western countries.

So said at the table organised by the American Economic Oda in Kosovo “The availability of the workforce in Kosovo”.

The chairman of the American Chamber of Economics Board, Ilir Ibrahimi, has said that on the basis of statistics unemployment in Kosovo is about 30 percent, but according to him, on the other hand there is a lack of skilled workers in different profiles.

Lah Nitaj, director of the National Qualification Authority, has said that now after 10 years of Kosovo state, they cannot complain about lack of legislation, but there is a lack of profiles and quality of education.

The goals of this authority, according to him, are that by the end of this year, the first statements to professional schools be made to produce adequate Kosovo economic frameworks.

Nitaj has said it is imperative that education be treated with national priority. According to him, however, professional education has a high cost.

Sharon Hart, the president of the RI, stressed that seeing Kosovo as money for visa liberalisation, 60 percent of young people plan to leave Kosovo, so this will be a challenge to businesses.

There are not only those who are unemployed who want to leave Kosovo, but also those who are experienced employees. So it is a challenge I will expect Kosovo after visa liberalisation”, Hart has said

She has said that a strategy must be developed to keep qualified workers, even though it will be costly, which will also require businesses to raise wages and stimulate them.

Although Labour and Social Management Minister Skender Recica was invited to this table, he did not attend.

Of those present also said that the workforce is certainly a key factor for private sector development in the country and the capacity of this sector to be competitive with countries in the region. The labour market deserves to have an emphasis on public discurs over the years ahead, and the private sector must offer contributions to the creation of a labour market that will serve local industry. While the lack of labour force skills is a serious concern for the private sector, the situation is expected to be further complicated after the visa liberalisation process is completed.