According to a committee of MPs, because the UK is a safe country, people who are fleeing Albania and trying to enter should not frequently be granted asylum.
The Home Affairs Select Committee noticed an increase in Albanian immigration last year, but it couldn't find much evidence that its citizens were in danger.
However, it claimed that some Albanians submitting asylum requests, particularly women, had been victims of trafficking and required protection.
According to the government, Albania and it are collaborating to halt illegal immigration.
The cross-party committee emphasized in a report released on Monday that it was unlikely that Albanian immigrants to the UK would need asylum.
In 2022, more than 25,000 of the 45,755 people who crossed the English Channel in small boats were from Albania, and the majority of them sought asylum, according to statistics highlighted in the article.
According to the report, there were 12,301 Albanian immigrants who entered the UK via this route in 2022, up from 800 in 2021.
The MPs declared that Albania is a secure nation. It is a nation that is applying to join the European Union and is not at war.
"The committee concludes that there is no convincing reason for the UK to routinely accept thousands of asylum requests from Albanian citizens. " .
It was suggested that better job opportunities and higher wages were the main motivating factors for people moving from Albania to the UK.
The report's statistics also revealed that, between January and June 2022, 51% of Albanian cases were initially approved, despite the fact that most of these claimants arrived on ferries or airplanes rather than small boats.
The committee reported that nine nations, including Germany, had refused to accept any asylum requests from Albania during that time.
It demanded an explanation from the Home Office for the UK's high acceptance rate, particularly in comparison to other nations.
However, the MPs also pointed out that "there are undoubtedly cases of Albanian citizens being trafficked to the UK.".
It stated that more must be done to assist Albanian women who have been the victims of people smuggling.
The committee's chairwoman, Labour MP Dame Diana Johnson, noted that asylum requests from what appeared to be a peaceful nation had increased significantly and suddenly.
The immigration situation is not static and will continue to change, she said, adding that it is important to ask questions and learn from mistakes. ".
To provide more Albanians with the opportunity to immigrate to the UK without utilizing unauthorized Channel crossings, the MPs recommended that the government encourage seasonal work visas in construction and agriculture.
It also emphasized the need for appropriate safeguards to be in place before any trafficking victims were sent back to Albania and advised the UK to maintain close ties with the government of that nation.
Any system will inevitably be put under stress by migration changes, but the government needs to do much more to make sure it can handle these pressures better. ".
She added that it was crucial for the UK to "improve its overall approach to asylum.".
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated last week in Kent that while there is still "work to do," his plan to address immigration is moving forward.
He claimed that a deal to send back migrants to Albania had resulted in the return of 1,800 people, and that this was acting as a deterrent.
"This government's priority is stopping the boats," a spokesperson for the Home Office stated.
The statement continued, "Last year, 28% of those who arrived by small boat to the UK were from Albania, a safe European nation and NATO ally, adding additional strain on our asylum system.
In order to break up criminal gangs and stop illegal immigration, we closely collaborated with the Albanian government. We have sent 1,800 illegal immigrants and foreign criminals back to Albania in the five months leading up to the end of May, which is a 90% decrease from the same period last year. The number of Albanian asylum claims we now accept has decreased from one in five to one in fifty, bringing us into line with other European nations.
"We will carefully review the report and respond as soon as possible.
. "
