The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has issued a call for proposals under its “Addressing Irregular Migration” programme in Albania. Published on 20 October 2026, the notice invites civil-society and research organisations to bid for up to £750,000 to run behavioural-insight projects that dissuade risky journeys to the UK and promote legal labour-mobility channels. The grant will fund campaigns in high-migration districts such as Kukës and Fier, testing social-norm approaches and signposting young Albanians to seasonal-work visas or UK-aligned vocational training. Successful bidders will deliver from December 2026 to March 2028, with evidence requirements designed to inform future UK–Albania returns agreements. For employers, the programme signals that the government continues to link legal skilled-worker routes to tougher enforcement on small-boat arrivals. Companies hiring Albanian nationals should expect closer scrutiny of sponsorship compliance and possible expansion of youth-mobility quotas as ‘carrots’ alongside increased deportations. Bidders must show partnerships with local institutions, safeguarding policies and robust monitoring frameworks. Mobility firms specialising in recruitment or cultural-orientation training could join consortia, provided they meet not-for-profit criteria. Applications close 19 November 2026; shortlisted organisations will pitch to the British Embassy Tirana in early December. The initiative complements the 2025 UK–Albania return-and-reintegration agreement, under which over 6,000 Albanian nationals with no legal status have been removed in the past year. Lessons learned may be replicated in countries such as Vietnam and Sudan, where similar migration patterns exist.
Source: GOV.UK – British Embassy Tirana
