Over 17,000 people with higher education cannot find jobs, most of them young

Although Albania’s labor market continued to improve during 2025, a significant portion of people with university degrees remain outside the market even though they are seeking work. Data published in INSTAT’s “Labor Market 2025” report show that 17,800 people with higher education were unemployed, with the largest share belonging to younger age groups, highlighting the difficulties graduates face in finding a job after completing their studies.

According to statistics, of the 17,800 unemployed people with higher education seeking work, 5,370 are aged 15-24, while 4,323 belong to the 25-29 age group. In total, 9,693 people, or around 55% of all unemployed university graduates, are under 30 years old. This shows that the greatest challenge is the entry of young graduates into the labor market.

The next largest group after young people is those aged 25-54, with 11,284 people, while the number of unemployed university graduates over 55 remains much lower.

Overall, INSTAT estimates that in 2025 there were 107,548 unemployed people in Albania, of whom 45,764 had secondary education, 43,984 had 8/9-year education, and 17,800 had 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 a job.

The fact that more than half of them are young people under 30 shows that the transition from higher education to employment continues to be one of the most problematic links in Albania’s labor market, despite the overall improvement in employment indicators.

The main reasons relate to the mismatch between degrees 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 business needs.

Another factor is the lack of experience, as young people with higher education often enter the market with a diploma but without the technical, digital, linguistic, or professional skills required by employers.

Additionally, some graduates face higher expectations regarding salary and position, refusing jobs unrelated to their profession or those offering low wages, which prolongs the period of unemployment after graduation.

The main issue remains the lack of connection between education and market needs. Professional internships, career guidance, and cooperation with companies are still insufficient to make the school-to-work transition faster./Monitor.al