- Law No. 15/2019 “On the Promotion of Employment” and Government Decree No. 17, dated January 15, 2020, establish the current framework for employment promotion programs, replacing the previous rules on which the 2016–2019 calls were based.
- These programs are not a one-time, time-limited call, but a permanent support mechanism for employers who hire from certain categories of job seekers.
- The most common mistake businesses make is not verifying the potential for profit at all before hiring someone, thinking that this support exists only as an occasional campaign.
- Each specific program has criteria, deadlines, and amounts that change over time, so verification must be done with the National Employment and Skills Agency (NEPA) at the time of employment, not based on old notices.
Law No. 15, dated March 13, 2019, “On the Promotion of Employment,” together with the Council of Ministers“ Decision No. 17, dated January 15, 2020, ”On the procedures, criteria and rules for implementing employment promotion programs," constitute today the legal basis for programs supporting employment in Albania. This framework replaced the previous rules, including Decision No. 873/2016, on which a 2019 call for new graduates was based.
From our daily work, we often see businesses that have no idea that when they want to hire someone, they can qualify for concrete support, whether it's a wage or contribution subsidy, or coverage of the cost of a professional internship. The misconception stems precisely from old announcements, like the one that once opened this article, which gave the impression that this was a one-off, short-term campaign rather than a permanent mechanism with programs that open periodically.
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How do job creation programs work today?
Who administers them and where are they verified?
The programs are administered by the National Employment and Skills Agency (NEPA), successor to the former National Employment Service, through regional employment offices. An employer who wants to hire and believes they may qualify should contact the regional employment office in the district where they are headquartered before finalizing the hire, because registration and verification of eligibility typically occur before the employment relationship begins, not afterward.
What kind of support is offered?
Programs typically target specific categories of job seekers, recent graduates within a specified period, young people under 29, long-term registered job seekers, individuals over 55, people with disabilities, and other categories defined by decision. The form of support varies depending on the specific program: a subsidy of part of the salary or social security contributions for a limited period, coverage of the cost of a professional internship for recent graduates, or funding for vocational training.
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The real cost of employment
Every new hire incurs costs: salary, contributions, and training time. When a business hires from a category covered by an active program, these costs can be significantly reduced for the support period. Failure to benefit usually doesn't come from not meeting the criteria, but from the fact that no one within the business checks the opportunity before the hire takes place.
How we handle this with our clients
When a client notifies us that they will be hiring someone new, we jointly verify whether the individual or the position qualifies for any active programs before preparing the payroll, so that the subsidy and contributions are handled correctly from the very first month.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2019 call for graduates still open?
No. It was a specific program with an application deadline of August 1, 2019. Similar, but not identical, programs open periodically under the current framework, so you should always check with AKPA to see if there is an active call and under what conditions.
Is this support also available for small businesses?
Yes, the programs are not limited to a specific business size. What changes from one program to another is the job seeker's category and the type of support, not the employer's size.
When should I verify it, before or after employment?
Upfront. Registration and approval procedures for most programs are carried out before the employment relationship begins. Post-employment verification is usually far too late to be effective.
