Labor crisis increases the number of employed pensioners

Like him, there are about 60 other employees in transport. But this is not the only sector where there is an increase in employed pensioners.

According to the Statistics Institute in Albania, the number of employed pensioners increased by 17% in the first quarter of 2023, compared to the same period a year ago.

The average salary in this country is over 500 euros.

Transport suffers driver absence, <x0 selection” pensioners

I've been working for 45 years as a driver and currently leads urban on the Kamza-Tirana line. I've reached retirement age three years ago, but I keep working for economic reasons, that retirement is $19,000 [190 euros] and I don't even care about medicine. But even in the absence of drivers, I was asked to continue working. As long as I can and I'm healthy, I'll work”, Hasa says.

The driver's absence also highlights Free Europe Radio as chairman of Albania's Urban and Interurban Transport Association, Dashnor Memaj.

And we need over 1,500 employees of different categories: drivers, faturino, service employees, etc. To cover this gap of employees, we have also tried to keep the category of retirement age. Currently, about 60 pensioners from the transport sector are employed, says Memaj.

He says free jobs are announced, but that there is a lack of interest.

We had 10 applications a few years ago for a job, and today for 10 jobs we have an application. The new employees have no interest in working in our sector because they are looking at the European market for better conditions and higher salaries”, Memaj says.

He adds that for this sector it cannot serve as a solution even <x0).

“Unlike other sectors, employing foreigners is impossible, because it takes the right patents and qualifications that a stranger does not make for a short period of time, because being a driver in public transport is a big responsibility”, Memaj says.

Tony Djindaj, secretary general of the National Auto-School Association, states the same.

I have two employees over the age of 65. We've been looking for new employees, but it's impossible to find. Auto-school practice instructors are allowed to exercise the profession until 70 years of age, after the recent changes in the Road Code, so we're forced to hire them, they're good solutions for us, because they're professionals, while young people don't come to do this work”, Djiaj says.

Pensioners also employed in bar-restorant

Transport is not the only sector that is seeing as a solution the employment of pensioners. Even bars and restaurants are suffering from the shortage of employees and see pensioners' employment as a solution.

Majlinda Sejdin runs a bar-restorant in Tirana since 2004 and claims he has seen it as a good solution to the maintenance of workers who have passed retirement age.

We have a family business and we employ a few people that's the possibility, but there's still a missing job. There are no young people who agree to work as dishwashers or work in the kitchen. That's why we hire pensioners. Actually, I hired a pensioner. She had retired for years, she was neighboring me, crying that I'm not finding workers, we agreed she'd come to work in the kitchen, at restaurant”, Sejdin says.

Employed by 15.6, what are the reasons?

In June of this year, Albania's Statistics Institute (INSTAT) reported more than 71 thousand pensioners in the first quarter of 2023, which make up 15.6 percent of the total population over 65.

Compared to the first quarter of 2022, the number of employed pensioners increased by 17%.

Employment expert Erion Mucha, analyzing these indicators, gives some reasons why the number of pensioners working has increased.

The percentage of retirees on the job has increased, as the labour market is suffering massive youth evacuation, where many work profiles remain undiscovered and therefore prevent important processes, which negatively affect productivity and overall in the country's economy. Another reason is related to differences in specific formation and education, where in certain profiles pensioners possess specific”, Muca says.

He adds that employing pensioners is also linked to migrational internal movements, where many areas remain without service from specific professions, and retired professionals are the only solution for a service to continue.

Mucha points out that it is good for pensioners to activate, but according to him, policies and processes for this commitment should be motivated by desire, not need.

This can be adjusted by building programmes that would help pensioners choose to do the right jobs for them, mainly flexible and in line with their physical and health opportunities”, he says.

Due to the lack of labour force, in October 2021, Albanian authorities have empowered changes in the Law for Foreigners, which have facilitated job permits in Albania, along with permission of residence.

However, some businesses have said that the majority of foreign employees use Albania as <x0m>trampoline” to European Union countries.

Another initiative of the Government of Albania not to miss professionals is the Law for Special Treatment of Students, who follow the integrated secondary study programme general projector, in the public institutions of higher education.

The law aims to curb the departure of doctors by blocking their diplomas for a certain time, but the initiative has been rejected by medical and opposition students, while the president has not yet decreed the law. / REL