Reporter: Elliott J Steele
Editor: Vanessa Elizabeth Morris
5 Jun 2023
A recent survey has revealed that despite the risks involved in crossing, approximately half of the young Albanians expressed a strong desire to immigrate to Britain.
The concerns of a new wave of migrants from Albania crossing the Channel have been brought to the attention of Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary has introduced a crackdown on small boats.
According to an internal survey commissioned by the UK embassy in Tirana, half of the young Albanians expressed a strong desire to cross the Channel and migrate to Britain this summer. The survey was taken by 1,800 households in Kukes, the primary region for migrants in northern Albania.
The surey found that Albanian young men aged between 17 and 22 are willing to leave their homeland and pursue a future in Britain.
last year between June and September, over 10,000 out of 12,000 Albanians successfully crossed the British Channel in 2022.
In a joint statement, Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman highlighted the significant decline in the number of Albanians arriving by small boat this year, which they interpret as evidence of the effectiveness of their crackdown efforts. The figures have dropped from 2,165 in January to June 2022, to only 151 in the first five months of 2023.
While addressing MPs, Mrs. Braverman emphasized that despite the decrease in numbers, the government remains vigilant and will continue to closely monitor Albanian crossings.
In the past two months, the Home Office has intensified its efforts to address the issue of Albanian migrants. A 400-strong unit has been established to expedite nearly 17,000 asylum applications. Rishi Sunak revealed on Monday that the success rate for Albanians claiming asylum has significantly dropped from approximately 17 percent to 2 percent.
Government ministers have set their sights on targeting up to 20,000 Albanians who entered the UK illegally.
In response to claims of exploitation of modern slavery by Albanian migrants to evade deportation, the government has tightened its rules.
Last year, a record number of 45,700 migrants arrived in the UK via the Channel, with a quarter of them being Albanians. Recent figures indicate that despite declines, Afghans, Iraqis, and Iranians remain the largest groups, although there has been a notable increase in the numbers of Indian, Turkish, and Vietnamese migrants crossing the British Channel.