Albanians Among the Largest Groups of New Citizens in the EU: A Look at Naturalization Statistics in 2023.
In 2023, 44,400 Albanians acquired the citizenship of an EU country, making them the third-largest group of new citizens in the Union. This figure represents a significant presence of Albanians who continue to integrate into European societies, primarily in Italy and Greece.
According to statistics, 71.5% of Albanians who obtained a new passport received it from Italy, 22.4% from Greece, while the remainder was distributed among Sweden and Belgium. This reflects the historical dynamics of Albanian migration, with the majority having been settled in these two countries for decades.
Naturalization in the EU: A Continued Growth
In 2023, the total number of people who acquired the citizenship of an EU country reached 1.1 million, marking a 6.1% increase compared to 2022. This shows that the naturalization process continues to be a path chosen by many immigrants seeking greater stability in their countries of residence.
The countries that granted the most citizenships were Spain (240,200), Italy (213,600), and Germany (199,800).
Among the new EU citizens, 87.6% were from non-EU member states, while 10.7% were citizens of another state within the EU.
Albanians Among the Three Largest Naturalization Groups
According to data, the largest group to acquire citizenship in the EU during 2023 was Syrians (107,500), followed by Moroccans (106,500) and Albanians (44,400). This figure confirms that Albanians continue to be one of the largest naturalized communities in Europe.
Sweden, the Champion in Naturalization
The naturalization rate, which measures the ratio of people acquiring citizenship to the total number of non-citizen residents, was highest in Sweden, with 7.9 citizenships granted for every 100 non-citizen residents. After Sweden, Romania recorded a rate of 5.9 and Italy 4.1. Meanwhile, the Baltic states, such as Lithuania (0.1), Latvia (0.4), and Estonia (0.5), had the lowest naturalization rates.
Conclusion
The data from 2023 confirm that Albanians remain one of the largest naturalized groups in the EU, with Italy and Greece as the main countries granting citizenship. This not only highlights the continuity of Albanian migration but also their successful integration into European societies.