New changes related to work permits

Law on “Amendments to the Migration Code”, dated 09 December 2022 (hereinafter, the “Migration Amendments”) made some procedures easier to obtain a new work permit and extend an existing work permit for foreign or stateless employees who will work in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan (hereinafter, the “Employees in Liberated Territories”). The Migration Amendments are effective from January 1st, 2023 to January 1st, 2028.

Work permits are usually granted according to the annual labour migration quota determined by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan. The State Migration Service of Azerbaijan (hereinafter, the “State Migration Service”) will not consider the quota to grant work permits to Employees in Liberated Territories when they will apply for work permits as per the Migration Amendments.

Moreover, the period for issuance of an opinion by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population of Azerbaijan during the examination of work permit applications is reduced to three working days for Employees in Liberated Territories.

Employees in Liberated Territories can extend the duration of their work permits for up to two years according to the Migration Amendments.

Furthermore, newly adopted Law on “Amendments to the Law on State Duty”, dated 09 December 2022 (hereinafter, the “State Duty Amendments”) which is effective from January 1st, 2023 to January 1st, 2028, reduced examination periods of work permit applications for Employees in Liberated Territories. The State Migration Service will examine such applications within five, ten, or 15 working days in accordance with the amount of state duty paid by the applicant.

The State Duty Amendments prescribed new amounts of state duties for the extension of work permits for over one year. These amounts and periods are only applicable for work permit extensions of Employees in Liberated Territories, the rates and periods for the employees applying for the first time will remain the same. The new amounts are as follows:

1. If examined within five working days:

• For work permits up to 18 months — AZN 1 600;
• For work permits up to two years — AZN 1 800.

2. If examined within ten working days:

• For work permits up to 18 months — AZN 1 400;
• For work permits up to two years — AZN 1 600.

3. If examined within 15 working days:

• For work permits up to 18 months — AZN 1 200;
• For work permits up to two years — AZN 1 400.

Note: The abovementioned state duties are applicable only for the extension of work permits for already functioning Employees in Liberated Territories, i.e. individuals for whom are going to be applied for a work permit for the first time (disregarding the fact that they are going to work in liberated territories or not) may only be granted a work permit with the duration of maximum one year.

Please click the links below to find the official texts of the laws stated above:

Migration Amendments - president.az/az/articles/view/58457

State Duty Amendments - president.az/az/articles/view/58447

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