Medium-skilled occupations account for 74% of employment in Albania

About 74% of employed people in Albania work in occupations that require medium-level skills. According to an analysis by the International Labour Organization (ILO), data for 2024 show that 26% of employment falls into other occupational categories with varying qualification levels.

This composition reflects the structure of the Albanian economy, in which services, trade, construction, manufacturing and agriculture carry considerable weight. These sectors often require operators, technicians, service workers and skilled tradespeople.

Meanwhile, high-value-added sectors that require advanced skills in fields such as technology, research, engineering and professional services remain limited.

Scientific research is underdeveloped, while industry relies mainly on low-cost labor rather than innovation and technology.

This profile is also reflected in businesses’ demand for workers. Although companies report difficulty finding people with certain skills, there is still a large supply of workers in the market for jobs requiring limited training and little experience.

The ILO estimates that improving productivity and aligning workers’ skills with the needs of the economy will require strengthening vocational education, expanding ongoing training and developing new skills needed to meet the changing labor market.

Data administered by the National Agency for Employment and Skills (AKPA) show that, from January to December 2025, Employment Offices advertised 68,860 vacancies. This was 12% higher than in the same period the previous year.

By occupational category, demand was highest for elementary occupations, which accounted for 29.9% of vacancies. They were followed by craft and related trades workers at 23.7%, sales and service workers at 15.9%, and industrial workers at 10.5%.

Demand for occupations requiring higher qualifications and specialized skills was lower than for elementary jobs. These roles usually require a university degree or specialized technical training.

In 2025, professionals with higher education accounted for just 6.4% of advertised vacancies. These positions are generally related to analysis, project management or specialized technical duties.