London, UK – | 05 Nov 2022 (The Times) – Ben Ellery of The Times writes about socioeconomic factors that play a role in driving migration from Albania to the UK and asks whether a new investment scheme by the UK in northern Albania would have any effect in reducing the number of illegal channel crossings into the UK.
The article titled Lost generation: Albanian migrant exodus leaves its schools empty, highlights several socioeconomic factors that play a role in driving migration from Albania.
Despite notable progress in recent decades, the country still faces economic challenges, including high unemployment rates and low wages, particularly in rural areas. Limited job opportunities and income disparities push individuals to seek better prospects elsewhere, with the UK often perceived as offering greater economic stability and higher earning potential.
It states that the UK has announced it will invest £8.4m into schemes designed to encourage Albanians not to cross into the UK but stay in their own country. The scheme is geared towards creating more employment at home, notably in the northern region of Kukes, where most recent arrivals have come from.
Alastair King-Smith, the British ambassador to Albania said the new scheme will help the UK by proving jobs and skills in the north of Albania.
However, Ralf Gjoni, a former Albanian MP who lived legally in the UK, including sitting next to former home secretary Priti Patel when they both worked for the public affairs firm Weber Shandwick, is less optimistic.
He now runs Global Pro Group, a recruitment company seeking to supply the UK labour market legally with qualified personnel from South East Europe.
He said: “The problem is not the FCO or the Embassy, they are truly trying hard. It is the Home Office which has refused to deal with the problem for a very long time. We now need tangible solutions, like Albanian skilled personnel going over to the UK legally. The best way to fight illegal trafficking would be to increase legal migration. I just hope this is not another false dawn.”
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