Azerbaijan: Residence Right and Work Permit Exemption Restrictions Implemented
June 2, 2023
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At a Glance
The government has restricted several immigration categories in Azerbaijan:
- Deputy directors, some directors, and some founders and shareholders of legal entities with foreign investment established in Azerbaijan must apply for work permit as they no longer qualify for a work permit exemption; and
- Fewer foreign nationals qualify for temporary and permanent residence in Azerbaijan, which is meant to restrict the foreign national pool of workers.
The situation
The government has implemented several restrictions to residence and work rights for foreign nationals in Azerbaijan. The rules became effective May 16, 2023.
A closer look
| CHANGE | DETAILS | IMPACT |
| Work permit exemption eligibility restricted |
|
More foreign nationals will be subject to the administrative hurdles of applying for a work permit in Azerbaijan, which will increase the resources and costs involved in such assignments. |
| Temporary residence permit eligibility restricted |
|
Fewer foreign nationals qualify for temporary residence in Azerbaijan, which is meant to restrict the foreign national pool of workers. |
| Permanent residence eligibility restricted | The list of foreign nationals who qualify to apply for permanent residence has been restricted. The full list is available on the government website and notably includes certain entrepreneurs and shareholding founders of legal entities. | Fewer foreign nationals qualify for permanent residence in Azerbaijan. |
Background
The government in Azerbaijan is taking measures to nationalize the oil and gas, construction, medicine and other industries to ensure that the local labor force is appropriately protected during the current economic downturn and high unemployment rate.
Looking ahead
It is likely that the government will continue to issue policy to restrict foreign workers’ stay and other immigration rights in order to maintain its protective policy over local workers.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
