Only 4% of Albanian emigrants are self-employed/ Early returnee women show the highest entrepreneurial commitment after returning
Albanian immigrants living and working abroad exhibit higher employment rates compared to the non-immigrant population in Albania, but a distinguishing element of their positioning in the labor market remains the form of employment. The data show that, although immigrants are more active in foreign labor markets, they have significantly lower rates of self-employment compared to Albanians who have not emigrated, being oriented mainly towards dependent employment.
According to statistics, only 4% of Albanian emigrants abroad are self-employed, a much lower level compared to the 28% self-employed among non-emigrants in Albania. However, the data highlight important differences regarding self-employment upon return to the country. Among all employed returnees, 25% of men and 21% of women are self-employed, indicating a relatively similar engagement between the genders.
Early returnees even exhibit an inverted gender gap in self-employment, with 41% of women being self-employed, compared to 25% of men. Previous studies have shown that women returnees to Albania, especially those with shorter periods of emigration, face significant barriers to wage employment, which often pushes them towards self-employment as a forced solution.
In contrast, among returnees who did not return early, the level of self-employment is lower overall, at 19% for men and 10% for women. This suggests that individuals who have stayed abroad longer may have better access to wage employment, thanks to accumulated skills and resources, or face less immediate pressure to generate income through independent economic activity.
In conclusion, the data show that emigration increases employment opportunities, but not necessarily entrepreneurship. Self-employment appears more as an adaptation strategy upon return, especially for women and early returnees, reflecting both the potential and structural limitations of the economic integration of Albanian emigrants.
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