The Albanian community in Australia and the first waves of emigration

Ship departing from the Port of Naples in October 1926, where there are about 400 Albanians.

 The first waves of emigration from Albania to Australia date in 1920-the 1930s. These were generally small groups, mostly coming from southern Albania, mainly from the Korça area, and settled in the town of Shepparton and the towns of Mariba; were employed in agriculture, in the cultivation of tobacco and sugar cane. These first immigrants brought later their families.

The second wave of emigration occurred at the end of World War II. These were mostly refugees who wanted to escape communism. Most people from the former Yugoslavia were able to get their families, but this did not happen to Albanians from today Albania. The emigration of Albanians from today Albania almost ended at that time, with the closure of the borders from the communists.

Children of Albanian emigrants in Victoria, Australia, celebrating the flag day, November, 2016

The next wave of emigration began in the 1960s. These were Albanians from the former Yugoslavia. Most of them came from Macedonia, but some also came from Kosovo and Montenegro. They came mainly for economic reasons, as well as to escape Rankovic's repressive system.

The next wave of emigration is from Kosovo, in the 1990s, after Kosovo's regime changed Kosovo's status.

There are also Albanians from Albania who have come in small groups since the 90s, and continue to this day.

Also in 1999 came about 3000 Albanians from Kosovo, but most of them returned with the end of the Kosovo War. About 300 of them have remained and are integrated into Australia.

Referring to the Australian Census conducted by the "Australian Bureau of Statistics", in the years 2011 & 2016, in Australia are registered 13,141 Albanians, of which 2396 are Albanians born in Albania. According to official results, from the 2011 census, there are approximately 8000 Albanian-speaking people in Australia, and they are spread as follows:

Victoria: 6000

New South Wales: 810

Queensland: 420

South Australia: 340

West Australia: 255

Other areas: 200

But the Albanian community in Australia thinks this number is incorrect because many Albanians did not complete the census forms properly, or did not participate at all. Also, this number does not include those who are of Albanian origin, but who do not speak Albanian..

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