Priority directions of migration policy are emphasized at the awareness raising events

An awareness raising event was held in Gazakh city which is included to service area of Ganja Regional Migration Department on the occasion of 10th anniversary of State Migration Service.

Meeting participants were broadly informed on innovations applied in the migration field, rules on registration of foreigners and stateless persons upon place of stay, their temporary staying in the country, issuance of permits for temporary and permanent residence, procedures for issuance and extension of work permits, rights and duties of migration process stakeholders, as well as state control over migration and measures implemented in the field of fight against illegal migration. It was mentioned that it has been 10 years that State Migration Service is at the disposal of country citizens, as well as foreigners and stateless persons by successfully executing these tasks. Errors and abuses which might be made in application of migration legislation, cases of violation of staying and residence rules by foreigners have been effectively prevented since the establishment of the Service. Thus, as a result of measures taken, in total relevant decisions have been made in relation to 172 025 foreigners, stateless persons and citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan regarding violation of migration legislation over the previous years.

It was noted that appropriate works has been done by the Service towards elimination of statelessness within short period by the Service in all regions of the country. Since 2008, 1871 persons have adopted and 58 persons have restored the citizenship of the Republic of Azerbaijan with the relevant orders of the President of Azerbaijan. 1341 of persons who adopted and 38 of persons who restored the citizenship were stateless persons.   

Later on mobile service was rendered. 24 applicants used the opportunities of mobile service. Permission cards for temporary residence were submitted to 6 of them, documents on investigation of affiliation of citizenship were received from 3 persons, document lists were presented to 11 persons related to citizenship issues, and 4 persons related to permit for temporary residence.

Event was organized by Shaki Regional Migration Department in order to raise public awareness on migration legislation at Zagatala branch of Azerbaijan State University of Economics, as well. Information was given on migration policy implemented in our country, works done on management and regulation of migration processes at the meeting held with participation of faculties, students and representative of society. It was stated that foreigners and stateless persons are equal before the law and courts of the Republic of Azerbaijan regardless of their property or social conditions, race, nationality, gender, language, attitude towards religion, type and character of his/her activity and other cases. It was mentioned that foreigners can reside, study and work in Azerbaijan. However, all of these should be within the law. It was stressed that parents should apply to State Migration Service in time to legalize residence of students studying at institutions of secondary education in the country and to obtain permission cards for temporary residence for them. Otherwise, they can face difficulties in graduation and admission examinations.

Moreover, it was emphasized that every able-bodied and over 18 years old foreigner can work in the Republic of Azerbaijan after obtaining work permit through juridical persons, physical persons dealing with entrepreneurship activity without establishing juridical persons, and branches and representations of foreign juridical persons employing him/her.

At the event information was given on outcomes achieved in fight against illegal migration by the Service, as well. It was noted that during only February of current year 1767 cases concerning infringement of requirements of administrative legislation by foreigners and stateless persons without observing rules of stay, temporary and permanent residence in the Republic of Azerbaijan have been revealed. Lost documents of 19 foreigners for temporary or permanent residence were replaced with new ones. Residence of 223 persons in the country was legalized. Decisions were made on 1157 foreigners to leave the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 48 hours and on 368 foreigners to be removed in administrative order from the country.

At the event held in Lerik which is included to the service area of Lankaran Regional Migration Department of the Service information was given about amendments and addendums made in migration legislation and the conditions for foreigners and stateless persons’ engagement in paid labour activity in our country. It was noted that availability of vacancies which are not applied by a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan who has professional skills or qualifications required for such job, inability of employment services to meet employers’ need for manpower at the cost of local labour resources creates the basis for recruiting the foreigner. The employers should employ foreigners and stateless persons only in their own working place and should conclude a labour contract in compliance with validity period of the work permit. Concluding labour contract with foreigners without obtaining work permit is not allowed.

At the end of the meetings questions interesting the event participants about the migration legislation was answered in detail.