Precarious Retirement for Ageing Albanian (Return) Migrants

Return migration and pension benefits are crucial for ageing migrants whose migration project takes a significant turn due to circumstances in the receiving country. A significant number of migrants have recently returned to Albania from Greece due to the financial crisis and are struggling to start a new life. A number of those remaining in Greece wish to retire upon return to Albania, or prefer to remain in Greece if they manage to retire there. Problems arise because of the lack of portability of social security benefits from Greece to Albania. This article looks at the policy and legal frameworks of migration and the national social security system, aiming to identify the existing gaps in the policy and legislative configurations of the two countries. It appears that significant policy inconsistencies and gaps have serious implications for ageing returned migrants and also for those remaining in the host country (Greece), indicating an urgent need to address these difficulties at a transnational policy level.