How did income change? 1 in 4 employees was paid the minimum wage in the second quarter
The level of wages in Albania continues to show significant differences between categories of employees, while the distribution of wages is gradually changing. Statistics for the second quarter of 2026 show that a significant portion of employees continues to be paid the minimum wage, but at the same time an increase in the share of medium and high wages is observed.
According to INSTAT data, 25.8% of employees in Albania receive the minimum wage or, more simply put, almost 1 in 4 employees are paid the minimum wage. Compared to the same period in 2025, the number of people paid the minimum wage has increased by 13.4%. This development shows that, despite the increase in wages in some categories, a large part of employees continues to be concentrated in the lowest wage level.
The most noticeable change in the wage structure is related to the high-wage category. In the second quarter of 2026, employees with salaries over 120,000 lekë accounted for 17.1% of the total. This indicates a greater share of high wages in the labor market, at a time when middle-wage categories are also gaining ground.
Compared to the first quarter of the year, the number of employees with medium and high salaries has increased. Within these categories, the group with salaries from 60,001 to 120,000 lekë accounted for the largest percentage. This development shows that the distribution of salaries is not limited to the minimum category, but also includes movements to the highest levels of labor income.
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