Many foreign businesses today have expanded their activities in the Republic of Albania, consequently bringing about an increase in the movement of services, goods, and often employees from one state to another. At the same time, many Albanian businesses are increasingly opening up to the international market, accepting more and more foreign employees. These phenomena have created the necessity of regulating the legal framework in order to guarantee the rights of foreign employees in the workplace. The treatment of foreign nationals in the Republic of
Albania is based on the principle of non-discrimination and equality before the law. The Constitution of the Republic of Albania provides and guarantees the free movement of people, as well as the right to earn a living through a freely chosen job or profession, treating these rights without any discrimination based on race or nationality.
The Labour Code also ensures equal treatment for all employees, without any distinction, including foreign employees. This applies to all elements of the employment relationship, starting from working conditions, working hours (normal duration: 40 hours per week and in any case no more than 200 hours per year), annual leave (after the first year of work, 4 calendar weeks), compensation (for overtime, public holidays, or weekends), the right to organize in trade unions, breaks (a break guaranteed every 3/4 hours of work), compensation for unilateral termination of the employment relationship, etc. Thus, in the legal and sub-legal acts in force regulating the position of employees, no distinctions are made, and foreign nationals who legally reside in the Republic of Albania enjoy the same rights and guarantees as Albanian citizens.
Therefore, Albanian legislation guarantees the free movement of employees in the labour market, in line with EU legal instruments and provisions, and ensures that foreign nationals legally residing in the Republic of Albania enjoy the same fundamental rights and freedoms in the field of employment as Albanian citizens.
