Post on 17-Dec-2015
UNECE/Eurostat Seminar on Migration Statistics
ALBANIAN EMIGRATION 1989-2001
Emira GALANXHI,
INSTAT, ALBANIA
The 1990s are often referred to as years of large-scale international migration but in the Albanian case is the magnitude of the phenomenon of emigration which is remarkable because:
Emigration in AlbaniaEmigration in Albania
• 1) It has started in July 1990 with nearly 5000 persons entered the embassies in Tirana of countries such as Italy, Germany, France and asked to leave the country.
• 2) This migration has continued and included
the whole country was caught up in a general state of civil unrest, which claimed hundreds of lives in the tragic events of 1997.
Emigration in AlbaniaEmigration in Albania
3. This migration has largely affected the younger population, which over the long term will affect not just the demography of the country but also social and economic developments there as well.
4. This emigration still continues but now it include the educated people that leave the country for going to USA and Canada.
Demographic changes during the transition, Demographic changes during the transition, 1990-20011990-2001
The transition of Albanian society has been accompanied by changes in the demographic structure of the country. These changes have affected all demographic components:
• a. Fertility• b. Mortality• c. Migration.
Pyramids on 1989 and 2001
0510152025303540455055606570758085909510
Male Female
0510152025303540455055606570758085909510
Male Female
Fertility
• The TFR on 1989 was 3.02 children per woman,
• In 2001 TFR was 2.31 children per woman
Estimate 1:Estimate 1:
Sex Enumerated population 01/04/1989
Natural Growth 1989- 2001
Expected population 01/04/2001
Enumerated population 01/04/2001
Estimated number of
emigrants at 01/04/2001
Percentage of estimates
emigrant over the expected
population
Males 1,638,074 303,521 1,941,595 1,529,682 411,913 21.2
Females 1,544,342 300,853 1,845,195 1,538,018 307,177 16.6
Total 3,182,416 604,374 3,786,790 3,067,700 719,090 19.0
Estimate 2:Estimate 2:
-50000 -40000 -30000 -20000 -10000 0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000
Estimates, from censuses abroad (or other sources) Estimates, from censuses abroad (or other sources)
The number of Albanian citizens is: • In Greece 438,000• In Italy 173,000• In the US census, there were 44,913
persons of Albanian “ancestry”, foreign-born and entered from 1990 to March 2000.
• In Canada, 6,000 Albanians according to the census.
• In registers, there were 12,000 Albanians in Germany; 1,00 in Switzerland.
Italy and Greece:Italy and Greece:
According to censuses:• 16,500 of the Albanian citizens in Italy• 13,000 in Greece; in the census year
Around 30.000 emigrants - partly balanced by Albanian returning home yearly
Annual net emigration is about 19,000.
Italy and Greece:Italy and Greece:
Figure 1. Age pyramid of the emigrated population in 2001
80.00 60.00 40.00 20.00 0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00
0-4 y
10-14 y
20-24
30-34
40-44
50-54
60-64
70-74
80-84
Thousands Age
Females, calculation
Males, calculation
Females, Italy+Greece
Males, Italy+Greece
FEMALES MALES
Emigration impact on economyEmigration impact on economy
The remittances are one of the main pillars of the
Albanian economy
Their contribution is estimated at around 15% of GDP for
a ten years period
58.8% of the trade balance for the same period
Emigration impact on the labour market Emigration impact on the labour market
The employment of Albanian emigrants on the the hosting countries has enriched them with:
• a general culture of labour management
• ethic on work
• knowledge for the new sectors of economy
• new technologies
The transfer of the knowledge home will accompany their return
Emigration impact on the labour marketEmigration impact on the labour market
1. The opportunity to emigrate helps to reduce the level of unemployment
2. Smoothen difficult socio-economic conditions.
Conclusions Conclusions
Better collaborations between statistical offices It would be very useful for us to have real data and
not estimates.t will be important to have information not only
on citizenship, but also on country of birth and country of birth of parents (to take into account naturalizations and births from Albanian parents)
Information on returning emigrants is also important
specific sample surveys could be envisaged between Albania and hosts country