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Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Albania, a tax haven for Italian pensioners!
An unexpected development has come from the latest reports on the movements of Italian pensioners abroad. While in general the number of seniors choosing to live in other countries is decreasing, one clear exception has emerged: Albania. A new category of immigrants is increasingly joining our country, Italian pensioners seeking a cheaper, warmer and minimally taxed life.
According to official data from INPS (Italian Social Security Institute), Albania is one of the few destinations that has recorded a significant increase in the number of pensioners arriving over the last five years. In 2023 alone, around 100 Italian pensioners have been transferred, bringing the total to around 200 since 2019.
Why are they choosing Albania?
According to Corriere Della Sera, the main reason is the favorable fiscal regime: since 2021, Albania offers a complete tax exemption for pension income. In short, Italian pensioners receive the same check from INPS, but do not pay taxes in Albania.
In addition, Albania offers a much lower cost of living than Italy, especially in cities like Vlorë, Durrës or Saranda, and a mild Mediterranean climate that attracts seniors seeking peace, sun and fewer expenses. The health infrastructure is also improving, and many of the private hospitals offer quality services at competitive prices.
The decline of other destinations
While Spain, Portugal, Tunisia and Romania remain among the traditional choices of Italian retirees, most of these countries have begun to remove tax breaks for new arrivals. The Portuguese, for example, have canceled benefits for retirees arriving after 2023 from 2024, while Spain has gradually increased taxes and living costs.
On the contrary, Albania is entering the list of countries that offer more for less, an alternative to a quiet but economical life.
Pensioners replace youth
In a country where youth are leaving en masse for the West, where schools are closing due to a lack of students, and where villages and small towns are turning into urban ruins, the irony is stark: the country is filling up with Italian retirees.
While Albanians look for any way to leave Albania for a better life, older Italians choose this country for exactly what Albanians are abandoning: sun, tranquility, and low prices.
A great social and economic absurdity, which shows the brutal contrast between what Albania offers in the eyes of foreigners and what it fails to offer for its own. /Pamphlet
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