Although declining due to the pandemic, Albanians have sought by all means to leave the country even during the pandemic period. 

The latest data from the European Office for Asylum (EASO), show that in 2020 there were a total of about 6600 applications and re-applications for asylum by Albanian citizens. 

Compared to a year ago, applications have dropped by about 70%, as a result of the pandemic, which blocked the roads, while since March Albanian citizens are not allowed to travel to EU countries. In April and May there were respectively 146 and 90 applications, while in the following months their number increased, to reach the highest level in September and October with over 600, but still well below the 2019 levels. 

Despite the decline, Albania has continued to hold the record in the Balkans for the number of asylum applications. Serbia had about 2,600, North Macedonia 1,230, Montenegro 207, Kosovo about 2,100, and Bosnia about 1,300. 

While in relation to the respective population, Albania has continued to be ranked second in the world, after Syria, whose citizens are fleeing the war. According to EASO data, processed by Monitor in relation to population, Albania had 2300 applications per 1 million inhabitants. Syria, which is the first, had almost 4.000 applications per 1 million inhabitants. The third is Algeria (1858), followed by Afghanistan (1277). 

Even from Kosovo, the demands to flee are high, ranking it fifth in the world in relation to the population. Other Eurostat data, pertaining to the period 2010-2019 show that asylum applications by Albanian citizens are made mainly by young people. In 2019, almost 30% of applications were made by persons under 18 years of age, while almost 80% of applications belonged to young people under 34 years of age. 

Asylum applications in the EU in 2020 

According to EASO, in 2020, 461,300 applications for international protection were submitted to the EU + with a decrease of 31% from 2019. This can be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions aimed at limiting the spread of the disease. The number of applications showed strong fluctuations throughout the year: while in January and February 2020 applications were higher than in the same months last year, relatively low numbers appeared between March and June. In April and May, restrictions tended to be tougher and applications respectively were particularly low, or 20% of the same period in 2019. In July 2020, applications resumed and remained somewhat stable for the rest of the year, between 39 000 and 43 000 per month. 

Major countries of origin remained unchanged from 2019, although applications were reduced for almost all nationalities. Syrians filed more asylum applications (64,540, up 9% from 2019). They accounted for 14% of all EU + applications, an increase from last year. With 48,578 applications, Afghans became the second most common citizenship, followed by Venezuelans (30,643), Colombians (29,438) and Iraqis (18,167). Venezuelans and Iraqis presented far fewer demands, while there was a smaller decline for Afghans and Colombians. Together, the top five nationalities submitted over two-fifths of all EU + asylum applications. 

Pakistanis, Turks, Nigerians, Bangladeshis and Somalis also submitted many requests, but less than last year. This was especially the case for Nigerians (13 031, - 44%), and Turks (15 834, - 38%). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was further exacerbated by significant reductions for most other nationalities, including applicants from Albania (6 498, - 66%), Georgia (8 508, - 61%) and Iran (7 721, - 60%), which had been among the dozens of most frequent countries of origin in 2019. 

Among the countries that submit the most applications in 2020 (> 1000), only those from the Comoros (1 996, + 53%), Belarus (1 319, + 28%), Cuba (2 170, + 8%) and Brazil ( 1 622, + 5%) submitted more applications than in 2019. Applicants from visa-exempt countries appear to have been particularly affected by the travel restrictions imposed due to the pandemic. In 2020, their applications decreased by 36% from last year, while applications from citizens from visa-free countries fell by only 30%.