Albanian Migrant Warns Others Not to Move to UK as Illegal Work is Unbearable

An Albanian migrant who arrived in the UK via a small boat in 2022 has issued a stark warning to others thinking of making the same journey—don’t do it. Gzim, who prefers to stay anonymous, says he came in search of a “better life” but ended up trapped in a situation he describes as “unbearable.”

Like thousands of others, he made the dangerous crossing, hoping for a fresh start. But instead of finding opportunities, he found himself working on a cannabis farm. “I wanted a better life, to help my family, like all the other people who have done this journey,” he told the BBC. “I knew the risks involved with this kind of business, but I hoped that I wouldn’t be unlucky.”

His journey to the UK was arranged through a smuggler he found on TikTok. After traveling across Europe by bus, he reached Dunkirk, where a boat was waiting to take him across the Channel. His cousins, already living in the UK, paid £3,500 to get him over, according to the Express.

Now, after experiencing the harsh realities of life as an illegal migrant, Gzim is warning others against taking the same path. His warning comes as the government ramps up an online campaign discouraging Albanians from attempting the journey, emphasizing the dangers and the struggles awaiting them.

When he arrived in Dover, Gzim was placed in a hotel but was able to leave freely. That’s when he ended up on a cannabis farm, hoping to make money. But things quickly fell apart. The farm was raided, and he never got paid.

Desperate to find something stable, he moved into construction, but the pay was too low to survive, let alone send money back home. Just five months after arriving, he made the difficult decision to return to Albania. “I dreamed of other things. I hoped I would make it,” he said. “Nobody wants to leave their homeland, their people, their friends. But in Albania, it is a war of survival, and I didn’t have any other choice.”

The government has been cracking down on illegal crossings. The Conservatives initially launched a social media campaign in 2023, warning potential migrants about the reality of debt and exploitation they might face. Since then, efforts have ramped up, and last year, over 2,600 people were returned to Albania. The number of Albanians making the Channel crossing has dropped significantly, down to just 616.

For Gzim, the journey was nothing like he expected. His message to others thinking about making the same trip? “It’s not worth it.”