Hire Foreign Employees in Albania: Permits, Payroll and Compliance Services

Ekonomist Pro provides end-to-end employer support for Albanian companies and foreign-owned entities that want to hire non-Albanian employees. Under Law No. 79/2021 "On Foreigners" (as amended by Law No. 43/2025), hiring a foreign worker requires a unique permit — and the employer carries most of the administrative burden.

This service is designed for employers: company owners, HR managers and business founders who need to bring international talent into Albania but do not want to navigate the Albanian bureaucracy alone. We handle everything from company compliance to permit documentation to monthly payroll.

We are an accounting and business advisory firm — not a recruitment agency or law firm. We do not find candidates or provide legal representation. We handle the financial, tax and registration infrastructure that makes the hiring legal and compliant.

This service is for:

• Albanian companies (LLC/Sh.p.k., sole proprietorships) hiring their first foreign employee and needing guidance on the permit and payroll process


• Foreign-owned Albanian entities bringing in founders, managers or staff from the parent company abroad (intra-company transfers)


• Startups and tech companies hiring remote workers who will relocate to Albania


• Employers in sectors with labour shortages (construction, hospitality, manufacturing, IT) who need to bring in workers from abroad


• Branch offices of foreign companies registered in Albania that are staffing up with international employees

If you are the employee looking for information on how to get a work permit, see our work permit service page or our guide: Albania Work Visa and Permit Guide.

We also support employers bringing in staff under the digital nomad category — a relatively new option under Albanian law that allows remote workers to obtain a unique permit for living in Albania while working for a foreign company. The employer engagement differs from traditional employment, but the compliance obligations on the Albanian side remain.

Hiring a foreign employee in Albania involves steps across multiple government systems. We handle the employer side:

Step 1: Company Compliance Check

Before applying for a permit, the employer must be in good standing: no tax arrears, active QKB registration, compliant payroll declarations. We audit the company's status and resolve any issues.

Step 2: Company Registration (if needed)

If the Albanian entity does not yet exist, we register an LLC (Sh.p.k.) or register a sole proprietorship, obtain the NIPT/NUIS tax number, and complete all post-registration obligations including fiscalisation setup.

Step 3: Employment Contract Drafting

We prepare an employment contract that meets Albanian labour law requirements: minimum wage compliance, working hours, social and health insurance contributions, notice periods, annual leave and other mandatory terms. The contract must be in Albanian or bilingual, and must specify the salary in terms that allow correct tax and contribution calculations.

Step 4: Tax and Payroll Registration

We register the employee with the Albanian tax authorities, set up the employer's social insurance and health insurance contribution accounts, and configure the monthly payroll declaration in the e-Albania system.

Step 5: Unique Permit Documentation

We prepare all employer-side documents for the unique permit application:

• QKB registration certificate (current extract)


• Tax compliance certificate (vërtetim tatimor)


• Employer declaration explaining the need for the foreign employee


• Proof of financial capacity to pay the declared salary


• AKPA labour market test documentation (where required)


• Signed employment contract

Step 6: Application Submission

We submit or guide the submission of the combined unique permit application through e-Albania, which covers work authorisation, Type D visa (if applicable) and residence permit in one filing.

Step 7: Ongoing Payroll and Compliance

After the employee starts, we handle the monthly obligations: payroll declarations, social and health insurance filings, tax declarations, and annual reporting. This is not a one-time service — we continue as the company's accountant.

For certain permit categories, the National Agency for Employment and Skills (AKPA) requires a labour market test before approving a foreign hire. This means the employer must demonstrate that:

• The position was advertised to Albanian candidates


• No suitable Albanian candidate was found


• The foreign employee has qualifications or skills that justify the hire

Some categories are exempt from the labour market test:

• Highly qualified workers


• Intra-company transfers


• Investors


• Digital nomads


• EU/EEA citizens

We prepare the AKPA documentation and, where required, assist with the job advertising process to satisfy the labour market test requirement.

The assessment for self-employed applicants and investors is handled by a separate commission under the ministry responsible for finance and economy, not by AKPA. We prepare the financial documentation for both pathways.

Hiring a foreign employee creates ongoing compliance obligations for the Albanian employer:

• Monthly payroll declarations: File the lista e pagave (payroll list) every month, declaring the employee's salary, taxes withheld and social/health insurance contributions


• Social insurance contributions: The employer pays its share of social insurance (currently calculated on gross salary) each month


• Health insurance contributions: Similar monthly payment obligation


• Income tax withholding: The employer withholds personal income tax from the employee's salary and remits it to the tax authorities


• Annual reporting: Submit annual financial statements and financial reports that include employee costs


• Permit renewal: Track the unique permit expiry and initiate renewal before it lapses

We handle all of these through our monthly accounting service, so the employer does not need to manage them independently.

Failure to meet any of these obligations can result in fines from the tax authorities, and more critically, can block the employee's permit renewal. Keeping the employer's compliance record clean is essential for maintaining the foreign employee's legal work status in Albania.

The costs of hiring a foreign employee in Albania include:

Official State Fees

Unique permit application fees are set by the Albanian government and published on e-Albania. Fee amounts depend on the permit type and duration.

Our Professional Fee

Our fee covers company compliance audit, employment contract preparation, tax/payroll registration, permit documentation and application submission support. Ongoing monthly services include payroll declarations, tax filings, social insurance and bookkeeping.

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Additional costs may include:

• Certified translations (varies by document volume)


• Apostille or consular legalisation fees (set by the issuing country)


• Company formation fees (if a new entity is needed)

The most common errors employers make when hiring foreign staff in Albania:

• Hiring before the permit is issued: A foreign employee cannot legally start work before the unique permit is approved. Starting early exposes the employer to fines and may jeopardise the permit.


• Tax arrears blocking the application: If the employer has any outstanding tax obligations, the permit application is blocked. This is often discovered only at submission time.


• Employment contract not compliant: Contracts that do not meet Albanian minimum wage, working hours or contribution standards are rejected.


• Skipping the labour market test: For non-exempt categories, failing to advertise the position to Albanian candidates first results in AKPA rejection.


• Not registering the employee for payroll: The employee must be registered with the tax authorities before work begins, with proper social and health insurance setup.


• Missing permit renewal: Unique permits have fixed expiry dates. If the employer does not initiate renewal in time, the employee loses legal work authorisation.


• Confusing the employee and employer role: The unique permit application is the employer's responsibility in Albania, not the employee's. The employer submits the application and provides the financial documentation.


• Not budgeting for total employment cost: In addition to the gross salary, the employer pays social insurance contributions, health insurance contributions and may incur translation and legalisation costs. The total cost of employment is higher than the net salary figure.

For employees who need a Type D visa before entering Albania, see our Type D visa application service — the visa process is integrated into the unique permit application for employment categories.

We are an Albanian accounting and business advisory firm based in Tirana. We are not a recruitment agency, law firm or government body and cannot guarantee permit approval — that decision rests with AKPA and the immigration authorities.

What we provide:

• Single point of contact: Company formation, tax registration, payroll, permit documentation and ongoing accounting — one firm instead of multiple providers


• Employer-focused: We understand the employer's obligations because we are accountants who file the declarations and pay the contributions every month


• Scalable: Whether you are hiring one employee or building a full team, the compliance framework is the same — we handle any volume and can add new employees to the existing payroll and declaration structure


• Multi-language: We communicate in Albanian, English and Italian, bridging the gap between international employers and Albanian authorities

Ready to hire international talent? Contact us for a free initial consultation to discuss your hiring needs and the permit process for your specific situation.