Quota for employment of foreigners in Azerbaijan half filled: Official

View of Baku (Ministry of Tourism and Culture- Azerbaijan)

Baku: Up to half of the quota imposed by Azerbaijan for foreign recruitment has already been filled, a state official has said.

The government had set a quota of 6,800 foreigners taking up jobs in in Azerbaijan in 2019, Vusal Huseynov, Chief of the State Migration Service, said.

By now, applications for work permits for more than half of the figure set by the government have been accepted, he said, local news agency TREND reported.

Huseynov added that the fee for a work permit may vary depending on its duration. He recalled that the state fee for obtaining a six-month work permit is 500 manats ($294), while obtaining an annual permit costs 1,000 manats ($598).

“The migration service is trying to ensure that the quota does not create tension for the business community. Even if the quota is filled, the state can reconsider this issue,” he said.

Foreigners who have a permit for permanent residence or who are married to citizens of Azerbaijan are exempted from obtaining the work permit, he added.

However, they will still be considered foreigners.

“The main matter for the state is the nationalization of the labor market. It has long been implemented in the energy and oil sectors. Earlier, foreign specialists were summoned for work in Azerbaijan, but now we have our own specialists who can replace the foreign ones. Therefore, this is reflected in the quota,” he said.