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Measures taken on substituting foreign worker staff with national personnel in oil-gas projects discussed at SMS
Substituting foreign labor force with national personnel periodically in oil-gas projects was decided according to “Protocol between BP Exploration (Caspian Sea) company and the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) on cooperation in nationalization field” signed in November 14, 2013 with the participation of State Migration Service (SMS).
The achievements regarding nationalization policy were brought into attention at the meeting where results in which representatives of BP and State Oil Company participated and made a presentation in one course.
Chief of the SMS, II rank state migration service counselor Firudin Nabiyev stated that President Ilham Aliyev many times emphasized in his speeches that citizen of Azerbaijan stands in the center of implemented policy. SMS which implements main duty such as protection of domestic market successfully continues consistent measures towards regulation of use of foreign labor force in accordance with law. According to aim set forth by the head of state, Service successfully implements state control over involvement of foreigners to paid labor activity only within the framework of defined quota in order to ensure that country citizens are the first beneficiaries of the development of Azerbaijan. The State Migration Service is taking relevant measures on establishing involvement mechanism of high skilled foreign workers for the purpose of preventing participation of unskilled foreign personnel in domestic labor market and ensuring effective use of local labor resources, according to requirements to tighthen labor migration quota and to form innovative, as well as competitive economy in the country.
F.Nabiyev brought into attention that employers should submit forecast-information on the demand to foreign labor force for the next year to State Migration Service before May 1st of every year by indicating professions upon Employment Classification according to the “Rule on determination of labor migration quota” approved by the Cabinet of Ministers considering the situation of domestic labor market, demand for manpower, existence of vacancies which are not applied by the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan with professional skills and qualifications relevant for requirements of the job, ability of employment service bodies to meet requirements of employers for manpower at the cost of local labor resources, as well as necessity of attracting highly qualified foreign specialists.
At the meeting held with the participation of vice-president of State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan on staff, regime and information technologies Khalik Mammadov, vice-president of company BP on human resources Leyla Novruzova and vice-president on external relations and strategy Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli it was emphasized that strict control is conducted by SMS for several years on issues regarding substituting foreign labor force with national staff periodically in oil-gas projects. Because, strengthening control on this field was defined as a priority on “Protocol between BP Exploration (Caspian Sea) company and the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) on cooperation in nationalization field”. According to plan which covers the years 2014-2018, as a result of nationalization policy raising the number of Azerbaijan citizens working in oil-gas projects to 90% from 78 % was achieved. It was determined as a target to make national staff 95 percent for the year 2018.
Chief of Service noted the importance of possible support which is given to BP in the framework of legislation and paying attention to the proceeding of process to increase number of Azerbaijani citizens working in this company in the future according to annual plan. F.Nabiyev stated that improving mutual relations and business contacts has contributed solution of joint technical problems.