Tosk (South) and Gheg (North) dialects of Albanian

 UTC+1 (Central European Time); UTC+2 during Daylight Saving Time (March–October)

Payroll in Albania refers to the process and schedule through which employers compensate their employees for work performed during a specific period. The payroll frequency and payment dates may vary depending on the company’s internal policy, but they must comply with Albanian labor law requirements..

The standard payroll cycle in Albania is monthly. Employees are typically paid by the end of each month for the work performed during that month.

There is no statutory requirement in Albania for employers to pay a 13th or 14th month salary.

The national minimum monthly wage in Albania is ALL 40,000 (approximately €400), effective from April 1, 2023.

The Government of Albania has announced a planned increase in the minimum wage to ALL 50,000 (approximately €500) per month, effective from January 2026. However, this increase is not yet formally enacted and remains pending official approval.

Normal working time is 40 hours per week. Overtime (hours above 40/week) must be compensated at least at 125% of the regular rate (i.e., +25 %).

Work on weekends or public holidays (or during the rest day) must be compensated at least at 150% of the regular rate (i.e., +50 %) unless otherwise agreed.

The total overtime in a calendar year should not exceed 200 hours. An employer may not require overtime if the employee has already worked 48 hours in a week, except in exceptional circumstances (e.g., for up to 4 months period) where the average may not exceed 48 hours/week.

Employers must keep employee personal data securely (physical or electronic) and comply with the national personal data protection law. Specific records that must be retained include salary/benefit data, income tax, social security and health contribution records — these must be kept for 5 years under applicable tax/insurance legislation. Employers must also maintain a separate registry of work-related accidents and occupational illnesses, which should be kept for 5 years and then archived at the relevant Social Security regional directory.

• Full name of candidate
• Date of birth
• Address (current residence)
• Contact number
• Nationality
• Copy of national identity card (for Albanian nationals) OR copy of passport (for foreign nationals)
• Copy of a valid work permit (for foreign nationals)
• Educational qualifications/certificates (only if relevant for the job)
• Previous employment details (only if relevant for the job)
• Medical certificate or health‐fitness certificate (where required by role or internal policy)
• Consent form for processing personal/sensitive data (to comply with data protection legislation) 

Albania observes 14 official public holidays each year. If a public holiday falls on a weekend, the following working day is usually observed as the day off. Some religious holidays are based on the lunar calendar, and their exact dates vary each year.

• New Year's Day (2 Days)
• Summer Day
• Nevruz Day
• Id-al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
• Easter Sunday
• Easter Monday
• Labour Day
• Eid Al Adha
• Saint Teresa Canonsisation Day
• Alphabet Day
• Independence Day (Flag Day)
• Liberation Day
• National Youth Day
• Christmas Day

Under the amended Labour Code of Albania (Law No. 91/2024, effective August 2024), employees are entitled to a minimum of 22 working days of paid annual leave for each full year of employment. The amendment increased the entitlement from the previous four calendar weeks to 22 working days. Additionally, the earlier requirement that employees must take at least one uninterrupted week of leave has been abolished, allowing greater flexibility to take leave in shorter segments as agreed between the employer and employee. These changes apply to all employment contracts, including those already in effect at the time the amendment came into force.

Employees who are temporarily unable to work due to illness or injury are entitled to paid sick leave. The employer must pay at least 80 percent of the employee’s salary for the first 14 days of sick leave during a calendar year. From the fifteenth day onward, payment is covered by the Social Insurance Institute according to the employee’s contribution history and average salary. A valid medical certificate is required to justify the absence.

Female employees are entitled to maternity leave of up to 365 calendar days in total, covering both pre-natal and post-natal periods. The pre-natal period consists of 35 days before the expected date of childbirth, or 60 days in case of multiple births, followed by 63 days of post-natal leave. Maternity leave benefits are paid through the social insurance system, and the employee’s position is protected throughout the leave period.

Under Article 132 of the Albanian Labour Code, employees are entitled to up to 12 days of paid leave per year to care for dependent children. For employees with children under the age of three, up to 15 days of paid leave per year is granted when the child is ill and the illness is certified by a medical report. In addition, employees may take up to 30 days of unpaid leave per year for the same purpose. The leave is granted to the parent who actually provides the care and, where both parents are employed, it may be taken alternately. Employers have the right to verify the medical certificate through another doctor in accordance with sick leave verification procedures.

Under Article 96(1) of the Labour Code of Albania, an employee is entitled to five days of paid leave in the event of their own marriage.

Article 96(1) also provides that an employee is entitled to five days of paid leave in the event of the death of a spouse, parent, or direct descendant (such as a child). This leave allows employees to attend funeral arrangements and manage family matters during the period of loss.

Under Article 106 of the Labour Code and the Law on Social Insurance, a female employee who adopts a newborn or a child under one year of age is entitled to paid adoption leave of up to 330 days from the child’s birth, starting from the date of adoption but not earlier than the 42nd day after childbirth. The minimum benefit period is 28 days, and the leave is paid through the social insurance scheme, provided the adoptive mother has at least 12 months of insurance contributions.

During probation (up to 3 months): at least 5 days.

• Up to 6 months: at least 2 weeks.
• More than 6 months up to 1 year: at least 1 month.
• 2 to 5 years of service: at least 2 months.
• More than 5 years of service: at least 3 months.

After 3 or more years’ service: the employee is entitled to at least ½-month salary for each full year of service, based on the salary at the termination date. Additional compensation may apply if the employer has not followed the required meeting/notice procedures.

• Background checks are permitted in Albania and regulated under Law No. 9887/2008 on Personal Data Protection, which aligns with EU data protection principles.
• Employers must have a lawful and job-related purpose for conducting any background screening.

• Employers must obtain the candidate’s explicit and informed consent before collecting or processing personal data.
• Candidates must be informed of the purpose, scope, and method of the background check, as well as whether third-party service providers will be used.

• Common checks include verification of identity, education, employment history, and criminal record (where relevant to the job).
• For certain regulated or sensitive roles, employers may request a Certificate of Good Conduct issued by competent authorities.

• Personal data collected during background checks must be kept confidential and retained only for as long as necessary for the hiring purpose (typically up to six months unless extended with consent).
• Employers remain responsible for data protection compliance even if background checks are outsourced.