Although the labor market in Albania continued to improve during 2025, a significant portion of people with university education remain outside the market even though they are looking for work.
Data published in INSTAT's "Labor Market 2025" report show that 17,800 people with higher education were unemployed, while the largest share of them belongs to the younger age groups, indicating the difficulties that graduates face in finding a job after completing their studies.
According to statistics, out of 17,800 unemployed people with higher education looking for work, 5,370 are aged 15-24, while 4,323 belong to the age group 25-29. In total, 9,693 people, or about 55% of all unemployed people with university degrees, are under the age of 30. This shows that the biggest challenge is the entry of young graduates into the labor market.
The largest group after young people is those aged 25-54, with 11,284 people, while the number of unemployed people with university education over 55 remains much lower.
In total, INSTAT estimates that during 2025 there were 107,548 unemployed people in Albania, of whom 45,764 had secondary education, 43,984 8/9-year education and 17,800 higher education. This means that people with university degrees make up about 16.5% of all unemployed people in the country who want to work but cannot find work.
The fact that over half of them are young people under 30 years old indicates that the transition from higher education to employment continues to be one of the most problematic links in the labor market in Albania, despite the overall improvement in employment indicators.
The main reasons are related to the mismatch between diplomas and real market demand. The Albanian economy continues to generate more jobs in sectors such as services, tourism, construction and trade, while many graduates leave universities with profiles that do not always match the needs of businesses.
Another factor is the lack of experience, as young people with higher education often enter the market with a degree, but without the technical, digital, language or professional skills required by employers.
Also, some graduates face higher expectations for salary and position, refusing to accept jobs that are unrelated to their profession or that offer low wages, and this prolongs the period of unemployment after graduation.
The main one remains the lack of connection between education and market needs. Professional internships, career guidance and cooperation with companies are still not enough to make the transition from school to work faster./ Monitor
