What should I know about hiring in Albania?
If you are considering hiring in Albania, keep a few things in mind. Employment contracts must first and foremost be agreed upon and signed by both the employer and the employee. The employment duties, salary, benefits, and schedule are all components of an employment contract.
Albania has implemented a minimum wage. This is the minimum an employer must pay their workers, though most do so much more. Businesses can gain a lot by hiring new staff from Albania thanks to the country’s highly skilled workforce and relatively low wages, as well as its central location. However, before beginning the hiring process in a foreign country, you should familiarize yourself with the local laws and customs.
Why is Albania a good choice for finding remote employees?
Albania is a good option for staffing your remote operations for many reasons. Work ethic and commitment to the job are two qualities that Albanian workers are known for.
There is a sizable population of highly educated and skilled people in the country; many speak English and have prior experience in international businesses. They are also very friendly and easy to work with.
Furthermore, Albania’s developed infrastructure makes it simple for remote workers to stay connected and productive. Last but not least, the Albanian government actively welcomes and promotes international investment.
How can Native Teams help you hire in Albania
As the world progresses, the business market is constantly changing. This holds truer than ever before for the trend toward employing remote workers.
Insights into the local market, assistance with candidate sourcing, guidance through the Albanian legal system, and guarantees of compliance with local regulations are some benefits Native Teams can provide to businesses with our employer of record services.
Having a Native Teams on your side could help guarantee that your company complies with all Albanian regulations that may be relevant.
Hire your first Albanian employee with Native Teams.
Legal requirements for hiring in Albania
Minimum wage
The national minimum wage in Albania is ALL 32,000.
Contributions & taxes
The Employee contribution is at the rate of 11.2%, they are composed of 9.5% social insurance and 1.7% health insurance contribution. Employers are responsible for contributing to social security at a rate of 16.7% for their employees.
Employer tax
15% of the employer payment goes for social insurance, and 1.7% goes toward health insurance. For social contributions, the minimum and maximum monthly salaries are ALL 32,000 and ALL 141,132 respectively. The employer deducts and reimburses the social security contributions.
Corporate tax
Albania has a 15% corporate income tax (CIT) rate. When taxable income is subtracted from deductible expenses, the CIT is applied to the remaining taxable profits.
Employee tax
The rate of social security contributions paid by employees is 11.2%. 9.5% of the employee contributions go for social insurance, while 1.7% go toward health insurance. Employers are responsible for contributing to social security for their employees at a rate of 16.7%.
Income tax
Individuals’ incomes are used to calculate personal income tax.
During the tax period, all sources of personal income for residents are liable to personal income tax.
For sources of income originating in the Republic of Albania, non-resident individuals are subject to personal income tax for the tax period.
- For a monthly salary between 0 and 30,000 ALL: there is no tax;
- For a monthly salary between 30,000.01 and 50,000.00 ALL: 50%, 13% of the amount;
- For a monthly salary between 30,001 and 200,000: 13% of the amount;
- For a monthly salary of more than 200,001 ALL: 22,100+23% of the amount.
To calculate the salary and taxes in Albania please click here.
Payroll cycle
The payroll cycle in Albania is generally a monthly cycle, with wages paid by the last working day of each month. However, hourly, weekly, and daily-paid employees are paid every two weeks.
Is there a 13th salary in Albania?
There is no 13th salary in Albania.
Labor rules
Probation period rules
In Albania, the standard probationary period is three months. Both the employer and the employee may end the job during the probationary period with five days’ notice.
Notice period
Following the probationary period, the following notice is necessary:
- One month in the first year of employment
- From two to five years: two months
- Over five years: three months
Different notice periods may be specified by the employment contract or collective agreement, but they cannot be less than two weeks if the employee has worked for six months or longer, or less than one month if they have worked for more than six months.
Severance pay
Employees who have worked for a company for over 3 years are entitled to 15 days’ severance pay.
Leave and benefits
Public holidays
There are 13 official holidays in Albania:
- New Year’s Day
- Summer Day
- Nowruz
- Catholic Easter
- Orthodox Easter
- May Day
- Eid al-Fitr
- Mother Teresa Day
- Eid al-Adha
- Independence Day
- Liberation Day
- National Youth Day
- Christmas Day
Sick leave
Employees are generally entitled to 14 days of sick leave, paid at an 80% rate by the employer. Employees who are injured at work can receive compensation from social insurance.
In general, employers must pay 80% of the cost of an employee’s 14 days of sick leave. Social insurance can provide benefits to workers who have injuries at work.
Maternity leave & paternity leave
Pregnant women who have worked for 12 months straight are eligible for up to a year of paid maternity leave, with at least 35 paid days prior to childbirth and 63 paid days following childbirth. The worker has 63 days to decide whether to stay on leave or come back to work. Three hundred ninety days of maternity leave are due to women who are expecting multiple children.
The first six months of maternity leave are compensated at 80% of the employee’s yearly average monthly wage. According to article 104 of the Labour Code, maternity pay is decreased to 50% for the subsequent six months.
Paternity leave is not currently mandated in Albania. However, a proposed modification to the Albanian Labour Code and Social Security Law (96.3) was filed in October 2020 to grant dads the right to three days of paid leave.
In Albania, parental leave consists of 12 days of paid time off to care for a kid. Employees with children under the age of three are entitled to an additional three days of leave and may seek up to thirty additional days of unpaid leave each year if it is necessary to provide for the child.
Other leave (marriage, bereavement, exam leave)
Bereavement leave
An employee is entitled to two days of leave in the event of the death of a close relative.
Marriage leaves
An employee is permitted to take five days off if they get married. It is two days of leave for the union of a child.
What are the minimum vacation days?
It is not permitted to substitute a week or more of paid vacation time for the mandatory minimum of 20 days that each employee is entitled to. There may be a provision allowing for extended vacation time in the employment contract or collective bargaining agreement.
Insurance
Health security & private insurance
Payroll taxes and the general budget are used to fund Albania’s mandatory universal healthcare system.
*Native Teams can support you in finding the best private insurance in the country. Contact us and we will send a comparison of insurance packages and prices.*
Visa
Relocation and work permits
Native Teams will apply for your work visa in the nation on your behalf and serve as your Employer of Record. All the required documents can be uploaded using our app. Until you have your work and residency visa, Native Teams will support you by providing you with frequent information on the progress.
How long is the visa/work permit process?
2 to 4 weeks depending on the authorities and provided documents.
Which documents do you need?
To apply for a visa/work permit in Albania, upload the documents from our onboarding list (relocation to log in/pricing).
Why use Native Teams for hiring in Albania?
Native Teams lets you employ team members ‘like a local’ meaning you get all the benefits of a global team, wherever you are based. Here are the reasons why you should use Native Teams for hiring:
- No paperwork: We will handle all the necessary paperwork for you.
- Save on taxes: We help you handle your taxes.
- No company set up: You can expand your business using our company entitles.
- Online onboarding: We’re here to ensure your onboarding process is trouble-free.
- No accounting: We will handle all of your accounting needs, including invoicing, payroll, and more.
- Increase your profit: We assist you in growing your business and maximizing your profits.
- Compliance expertise: we can assist your company in navigating the regulatory environments and ensure you meet all relevant requirements.
- Local support: We can assist you in understanding and complying with the relevant local laws.