According to Open4Business, the number of foreign nationals with residence permits in Albania stood at 32,163 by the end of 2025, marking a 46.6 per cent increase compared with the previous year, according to data from the Albanian Institute of Statistics (INSTAT).
By way of comparison: in 2024, 21,940 foreign nationals held residence permits, and in 2023, the figure was 21,460. Thus, in the last year alone, the number of foreign residents increased by more than 10,000 people.
Albania’s total permanent population as at 1 January 2026 stood at 2.336 million, having fallen by 1.16 per cent over the year. Consequently, the growth in the foreign population is occurring alongside a continuing decline in the country’s total population.
However, determining the exact current number of all foreign nationals actually residing in Albania is more difficult than establishing the number of residence permit holders. INSTAT explicitly notes that the country does not yet have a single population register, and that the annual demographic estimates are based on several data sources. The most recent general population census, conducted in September 2023, recorded 15,210 residents with foreign citizenship or without citizenship, out of a total population of 2.402 million. These figures cannot be directly compared with the administrative statistics on residence permits for the end of 2025 due to differences in dates and methodology.
The largest group among foreigners with residence permits at the end of 2025 were citizens of Kosovo – 6,284 people, or 19.5 per cent of the total. They were followed by citizens of Italy – 4,065 people, India – 2,886, and the Philippines – 2,401.
Ukrainians do not feature in this top four, although their presence in Albania has its own specific characteristics. During 2025, Ukrainian citizens submitted 312 applications for residence permits, accounting for around 2 per cent of applications from the main countries of origin. By comparison, Russians submitted 442 applications.
However, the actual number of Ukrainians living in Albania exceeds the number of holders of standard residence permits. On 10 April 2026, the Albanian government granted Ukrainian citizens visa-free entry and permitted them to remain in the country without a residence permit until 30 March 2027. This rule also applies to Ukrainians who are already in the country.
Consequently, Ukrainians can reside legally in Albania without being included in INSTAT’s main statistics on foreign nationals with residence permits. Consequently, the figure of 32,160 people primarily reflects holders of residence permits, rather than absolutely all foreign nationals who are in fact staying in the country for an extended period.