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| Immigration offices in Tirana |
In Albania, there are about 15,000 vacancies for positions such as waiters, bartenders, but also in the hotel industry. As Albanian businesses are struggling to find Albanian employees, they have found the solution in foreigners.
Nadeesh is from Sri Lanka. He has been working as a bartender in Albania for 5 months. He says he is satisfied with the work here.
"Albania is a very good place to work, to get a different experience and more money. I need money and that was my plan, that's why I came here. As a bartender I get paid $400. I think that I will stay here for 2-3 years and go somewhere else", says the citizen from Sri Lanka.
The employment of foreigners in Albanian businesses has been a surprise for entrepreneurs. Enald Tashullari says that they have been looking for employees for months.
"The market here is very difficult, we have been looking for a long time, they come to try it, stay for 2-3 days and leave", says Enald Talushllari, bar-restaurant manager.
The low demand has made them look for foreigners. For this decision was the best ever made.
"We are satisfied with the foreigners so far. They are stable, communicative, and hardworking. The difference in behavior, the way they work, that's the difference. We have been looking for over a month, no one comes to us and we are forced to look for foreigners", he says.
Albania is seen as a country of opportunities for foreigners. Tirana, Kavaja, Durres, and Lezha are some of the cites that are looking for workers from Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, India, and Nigeria.
"I like working as a cook, since I came here to Albania my life has changed", says Akila Godellage, a citizen from Sri Lanka.
The tourist season is near, so businesses in our country have started work to find labor. The hopes of having parts of the foreign staff are few. Therefore, they have started the procedures to search for foreigners.
"They get a 1-year residence permit and the contract is 1 year. We include accommodation and food. We have many vacant positions since the season is ahead. Only in the part of the hotel, more than 10 people, waiters, assistant cooks, counters and sanitary workers", says Agustin Biqiku, bar-restaurant manager.