Albanians were the second most common nationality entering detention in the UK so far in 2021, accounting for 2920 cases, an increase of 32% from the previous year.
Data published by the Home Office shows that Iranians were the most common nationality entering detention with 3,657. Detention comes after a failed attempt to enter the country illegally. A total of 21,365 people were detained in the UK by the end of September 2021.
Albanians also drove up the number of people detained in prison under immigration powers. The number rose by 49% from 434 to 648, mainly driven by Albanians who accounted for 167 of these.
As for enforced returns, Albania was in second place with 18% but was beaten by Romania with 23%. Some 692 Albanian citizens were forcibly returned by September of this year, a decrease of 157 last year.
Migration continues to be a significant woe for the EU hopeful.
Between 2010 and 2019, more than 193,000 people applied for asylum in EU countries.
In 2020, Albania had more first-time asylum applications to EU countries than Serbia, North Macedonia, and Kosovo combined. Figures for Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina were just a fraction of Albania’s total.
A survey published in June 2020 by the Regional Cooperation Council found that almost half of Albanians actively plan to leave the country. This means they are looking for jobs, applying for visas, or preparing to leave. Over 60% have a desire to leave, according to 2019 figures published by Gallup.
Some 700,000 have received work permits in an EU country in the last few years.
Data from Frontex showed that 40% of migrants entering the EU illegally come from the Western Balkan route, including Albania.
