RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/ACC/ALB/8/Add.4
14October 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4258)
Original: English
ACCESSION OFALBANIA
Additional Questions andReplies
Addendum
Thefollowing additional questions andreplies, totheMemorandum ontheForeign Trade
Régime (document L/7613) andtotheearlier Replies toQuestions (documents WT/ACC/ALB/3 and
WT/ACC/ALB/4), related toemployment andlabour, havebeenreceived fromtheMinistry ofIndustry,
Transport andTrade oftheRepublic ofAlbania.
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QUESTIONS RELATING TOEMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR
Question 1
What measures istheGovernment ofAlbania taking inorder tocombat unemployment? Please
provide recent statistics relating tounemployment inAlbania.
Answer.
TheGovernmentofAlbaniaiscombatingunemploymentthroughmeasuressuchasthefollowing.
TheDepartment ofEmployment Services hasoffices in36districts throughout thecountry. Themain
taskofthese offices istoidentify employment opportunities andtomake information about such
opportunities available tounemployed persons.
These Departments workwiththeprivate sector tohelpimprove information about employment
needs andopportunities. Forexample, theyadvise newmanagers ofcompanies howtopresent
information onexisting andexpected jobs,aswellasthequalification requirements foreachposition.
Inaddition, Albania hasaprogramme toimprove professional andtechnical qualifications in
thelabour force through training andseminars. Theprogramme aimsatimproving management and
technical skills andadjusting themtotheneeds andperspectives ofamarket economy. Thisprogramme
hasfourmain directions:
(i) job-training, organized byprivate companies fortechnical qualifications;
(ii) institutional training organized incooperation withtheDepartment ofSocial Services inthe
Ministry ofLabour;
(iii) training offered through business clubs andassociations;WT/ACC/ALB/8/Add.4
Page2
(iv) through public works undertaken bytheGovernment ofAlbania which offertheopportunity
foron-the-job training forworkers oninfrastructure projects andother public works.
Unemployment inAlbania forthefirstsixmonths of1996isabout 10.7percentoftheactive
labour force. Theprivate sector employs 80percentofemployed persons.
Question 2
What isAlbania 'sregulatory system concerning temporary entry ofnatural persons forthepurpose
ofproviding services?
Answer.
There isnorestriction ontemporary entry through intra-company transfer ofmanagers and
specialists fortheprovision ofservices.
Question 3
How istheaccess offoreign labour regulated inAlbania? Dospecific quotas foremployment
offoreign nationals existinAlbania? Isissuance ofwork permits, ifsuchexists, subject toan
economic needs test?
Answer.
TheLawOnImmigration No.7939, adopted on25May1995, anditsimplementing rules
regulate theentry andstayofallforeigners, thatwould liketohaveaneconomic activity inAlbania.
There arenospecific quotas foremployment offoreign nationals, because theiractivity isconsidered
tobeofinterest fortheeconomic development ofthecountry. TheMigration Department within the
Ministry ofLabour istheresponsible institution forissuing work permits toforeigners wishing to
undertake aneconomic activity inAlbania.
Question 4
HasAlbania signed anyinternational agreements concerning employment offoreign labour?
Answer.
Albania hasnotsigned anyinternational agreements concerning employment offoreign labour.
There isabilateral agreement between Albania andGermany which allows theimmigration ofAlbanians
foralimited period of18months. Thisimmigration isbothawork andtraining opportunity. The
terms oftheagreement between Albania andGreece forseasonal immigration ofAlbanians toGreece
areunder preparation.
Question 5
Arethere anyrestrictions onthetemporary entry andstayofexecutives andsenior managers
asintra-corporate transferees inAlbania?
Answer.
There arenorestrictions onthetemporary entry andstayofexecutives andsenior managers
asintra-corporate transferees.WT/ACC/ALB/8/Add.4
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Question 6
IsAlbania aparty toanyagreement concerning mutual recognition ofprofessional qualifications?
Answer.
No.