Brain drain remains an alarming phenomenon in the region.
Strategies for prevention are nowhere to be found, while the causes remain complex. Western Balkan countries have failed to create an environment conducive to the return of talent. The European labor market grows in proportion to the diminishing workforce in the region.
Meanwhile, as solutions are sought, the dilemma remains: Is brain drain a global phenomenon, or is it a specific typology of a lagging region?
By BV Team
According to the latest report by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, around 4.7 million people from the Western Balkans lived abroad, out of a total population of 17.6 million. This represents about 21% of the region’s total population, with a consistent upward trend since 1990.
Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina have the highest percentages of emigrants: 44% of Albania’s population and 49% of Bosnia’s population live abroad. North Macedonia follows with 34%, Montenegro with 21%, while Serbia has the lowest percentage, with 15% of its total population living abroad.
Gordan Georgiev, the head of the Forum for Reasonable Policies (FRP) in Skopje, explains that over the past three decades, people have been leaving North Macedonia—Macedonians, Albanians, Turks alike—for work, often in roles that are not highly qualified. “And here’s the paradox: we educate children from elementary school to university and postgraduate levels, essentially creating a workforce for the labor market, only for them to leave without a trace of return,” Georgiev says.
The Balkans Are Emptying Out
The exodus of the workforce from the Western Balkans aligns with increasing demand from developed EU countries, which face aging populations and vacant jobs. Credible analyses of these demographic movements suggest the region has contributed billions to the European economy, serving as a reservoir of human resources needed for the EU labor market.
This situation has prompted some regional politicians to refer to it as a de facto “wealth transfer” from Southeast Europe to Western Europe.
Former Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, now opposition leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), argues that preventing youth migration hinges on improving living standards through investments. “The only sure way is attracting investments because experienced, knowledgeable talent goes where economies are more advanced. Take Germany, for instance; it’s not right that they’re taking all the doctors, nurses, or hospitality workers from the region. It would be better if some services that all this Balkan talent migrates for were transferred to the Balkans,” Haradinaj asserts.
Two Categories of Migrants
When discussing the movement of people from the Western Balkans to the EU, two categories emerge: highly educated individuals and those without qualifications. The departure of the former is termed “brain drain,” while the latter is referred to as migration.
Some analysts argue that the Balkans hasn’t invested enough in nurturing intellectual talent to truly experience a brain drain. They view these demographic shifts within a broader context and through different interpretive lenses.
Brain Drain in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro
Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro have the highest percentages of emigrants with higher education, whereas those from Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia tend to have lower educational attainment compared to the average level of schooling in their home economies.
Furthermore, 28% of emigrants from Serbia and Montenegro have higher education, followed by Bosnia-Herzegovina at 23%. In contrast, only 11% of emigrants from Albania and Kosovo hold advanced qualifications.
A Broader Perspective
Dukagjin Gorani, an analyst and former politician from Kosovo, suggests that people leaving the Balkans often realize their intellectual potential abroad. “Perhaps they develop into intellectuals. In Kosovo, there’s a saying: ‘One seeker is worth two satisfied individuals.’ People should have the opportunity to travel, leave, and return to their countries. True intellectual and mental affirmation is achieved through travel and mobility. I think the concept of brain drain has been misunderstood and vulgarized in discussions,” Gorani says.
He argues that the closed and marginalized nature of Balkan societies over the years has limited their intellectual and cultural depth. “The beginnings of a more democratic and liberal worldview can only emerge when the percentage of people who travel and gain new experiences surpasses a critical threshold.”
A Complex Problem
The brain drain and workforce exodus remain deeply concerning phenomena for Western Balkan countries. EU statistics show that the youth of the six regional states rank high on the global “brain drain” list. Projections are pessimistic, as it is believed that over the next decade, the region may lose nearly half of its young, skilled, and well-educated population.
The main reasons for mass migration include a lack of trust in institutions, corruption, societal polarization, and poverty—all of which directly affect quality of life. This can be summarized in one word: hopelessness.
Despite political rhetoric on the issue, no visible strategy has emerged to address the brain drain effectively.
Is There Still Hope?
Alexander Çipa, an analyst from Tirana, warns that demographic depletion in the Balkans could become an even more troubling crisis in the next five to ten years. “These countries are already showing a lack of human capacity and expertise across various fields. This is not accompanied by preventive strategies, which is a tragedy,” Çipa states.
Migration of highly qualified professionals is not unique to the Western Balkans; it remains a global problem. However, for the fragile states of the region, brain drain is particularly alarming because creating and nurturing qualified individuals is already a challenging process.
Zylyftar Bregu, a university professor in Tirana, believes this phenomenon requires a multi-layered strategy—short-term, medium-term, and long-term—to mitigate its impact. “For Albania, North Macedonia, and the region as a whole, addressing this issue urgently is crucial. While it cannot be stopped, its consequences can be mitigated,” Bregu asserts.
Others, like journalist Dritan Shakahoxha, emphasize the need for freedom of movement. “Young people should be free to move, return, and explore opportunities. The brain drain discussion shouldn’t be politicized or used for daily political agendas,” Shakahoxha concludes.
The challenge remains: Can the Western Balkans hold on to its youth, or is the region destined to continue emptying out? This question hangs in the balance, awaiting urgent and sustainable solutions before it’s too late.
