A foreign national who comes to Albania to work as an employee needs a single permit: one document that allows them both to stay and to work. The employee files the application, but its success depends heavily on the employer. Among the most common reasons for refusal are the lack of approval from the National Agency for Employment and Skills (NAES) and the termination of the employment contract.
What the employer prepares:
1. The employment contract. Drafted in line with the Labour Code, stating the duration, position, profession and salary. The terms may not be less favourable than those that the law or the collective agreement grants to Albanian employees.
2. Proof of qualifications. A diploma or certificate showing that the employee has the skills for the position.
3. NAES approval. For most employees, NAES checks whether the working conditions are in order and whether there are candidates with priority for the job. The employer must be registered with NAES and must have advertised the vacancy.
4. Documents for the permit category. For intra-company transfers, the group's declaration; for service contracts, the contract with the client.
Where applications get stuck:
- the contract is not in line with the Labour Code or with market pay;
- the employer has unpaid social security contributions;
- the vacancy has not been advertised or the employer is not registered with NAES;
- the documents are incomplete or not translated;
- the employment relationship ends and no one deals with the consequences for the permit.
What to do now. Plan the hiring of foreign nationals before the employee arrives, not after. Keep a calendar of permit expiry dates and renew permits on time. When a contract ends, check immediately what happens to the employee's permit.