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Albania has expressed strong interest in hiring Bangladeshi workers to address its growing labour market needs, with several Albanian companies already applying to recruit from Bangladesh.

The proposal came from Albanian President Bajram Begaj during his meeting with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday.

“We need workers for our country, and several companies have already submitted applications to hire from Bangladesh,” President Begaj said, adding that cooperation could also expand in areas such as tourism. He highlighted Albania’s southern coastline as a potential attraction for Bangladeshi travellers.

Prof Yunus welcomed the initiative, stressing that Bangladesh’s young and dynamic workforce can play a role in Albania’s economic growth. However, he urged Albania to ease visa procedures, noting that Bangladeshis currently must travel to New Delhi for applications.

In response, President Begaj said his government is considering the introduction of e-visas for Bangladeshi nationals. He also called for stronger institutional ties, including high-level visits, to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

Law Adviser Asif Nazrul, who oversees the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare, assured Albania that Bangladesh can supply manpower across sectors—from doctors and nurses to factory and agricultural workers. He underscored the need for a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to streamline recruitment.

President Begaj also announced that Albanian universities are ready to welcome Bangladeshi students under existing international enrolment schemes.

Senior Secretary for SDG Affairs Lamiya Morshed was also present at the meeting.