Mucaj: Emigration is the main problem in Albania's aging population; young people need meritocracy

Professor Dr. Arjana Mucaj, Head of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Tirana, warns that according to the data from the Albanian Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), Albania’s population is aging at a very fast pace, with emigration being the primary issue.

"We have several key factors contributing to this. The first is the decline in birth rates, the second is the number of deaths, and the third is emigration, particularly the departure of people in the prime working age group, between 24 and 39 years old. The number of births has decreased, although the decline in recent years hasn't been as drastic as before. The main issue is emigration, which has a very significant impact on the aging of the population. Those leaving the country are at the age where they typically start families, the age when birth rates are highest, but they no longer live in Albania. Their departure increases the proportion of elderly people in the country relative to the total population, indicating that the aging process is accelerating. This is not just happening in Albania but across our entire region," Mucaj explains.

She notes that the emigration rate has been around 14-15% over the past 12 years and that the government has developed strategies to create favorable conditions for young people to encourage them to stay.

"The government has decided to provide financial rewards to families for having children. For the first child, 40,000 lek is given, and up to 120,000 lek for the third child. This is a way to motivate and assist young couples in raising children. However, even this measure hasn't produced significant results, as we still haven't stopped the youth from leaving," Mucaj adds.

She also mentions measures for vocational training of young people, which she considers a good government strategy, as it gives young people the opportunity to enter the labor market quickly.

"The labor market demands highly qualified people in various professions. However, we have encountered a problem because even Western countries have a high demand for such people. A large number of qualified workers, such as nurses and plumbers, are leaving Albania. Additionally, the West is looking for highly educated professionals, like doctors. We have a very high number of doctors leaving the country. Usually, it is the young people who are emigrating. These government strategies, instead of fulfilling the country's needs, are actually supplying the labor markets of Western countries. It is true that the cost of living is high there, but the conditions are better than here, with greater security for the future of young families and better services available. In the West, there are social and healthcare services, which further influence young people not to stay in Albania," she explains.

One way to prevent the emigration of young people, Mucaj argues, is to provide jobs based on meritocracy, allowing them to demonstrate the full potential they gain through education.

"In Albania, we need to abandon the practice where many young people must become part of political organizations or parties to secure a job. However, I believe that the number of young people who acquire material goods through political careers is small. I think the Albanian state needs to ensure that young people feel valued and secure. People want to have a stable position in society and earn a decent salary. Although several measures have been taken, young people still do not feel that change," the professor from Tirana warns.

Despite the challenges, she remains hopeful and believes there is "a chance for success" if young people are offered "what they need."

"They need healthcare services, security for their future, and significant financial support. The government has taken several measures, offering various bonuses and favorable loan terms for families to buy homes, but if young people don’t have stable jobs, these government measures won't yield results. Individuals with good professional skills should be paid based on their contributions. This would increase young people's satisfaction and their willingness to stay in the country. So, they won’t leave if there are favorable services and if they feel valued and respected for the contributions they make. This would be a very important measure against emigration," Mucaj concludes.