Gov`t hikes expat fees for work permits
Businesses hiring foreign citizens in Azerbaijan
will now be required to pay 1,000 manats (over $1,200) instead of
the previous 45 manats for one-year work permits. The fee for
renewing the document has also been raised - to 1,000 manats from
the current 25 manats.
The new fees went into effect on February 12, according to the presidential decree on amending the Law on State Duties.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Security believes the abrupt increase of the fees on work permits by about 25 times serves to protect the rights of the local workforce.
Rauf Taghiyev, who heads the ministry`s department on migration, says the measure will prompt employers to hire local workers more instead of paying 1,000 manats for each expatriate employee.
But some experts charge that such a huge increase in fees could cause bankruptcy of companies working with foreign nationals.
There are currently 4,369 labor migrants in Azerbaijan, according to official figures, with the largest number of them being from Turkey, Britain, Georgia and India. But informal data suggests that about 10,000 more expatriate labor migrants work in the country without the required paperwork.
The new fees went into effect on February 12, according to the presidential decree on amending the Law on State Duties.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Security believes the abrupt increase of the fees on work permits by about 25 times serves to protect the rights of the local workforce.
Rauf Taghiyev, who heads the ministry`s department on migration, says the measure will prompt employers to hire local workers more instead of paying 1,000 manats for each expatriate employee.
But some experts charge that such a huge increase in fees could cause bankruptcy of companies working with foreign nationals.
There are currently 4,369 labor migrants in Azerbaijan, according to official figures, with the largest number of them being from Turkey, Britain, Georgia and India. But informal data suggests that about 10,000 more expatriate labor migrants work in the country without the required paperwork.
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