Azerbaijan becoming a new destination for migrant workers
Since the beginning of the 21st century, Azerbaijan has become most dynamically developing country of the region in term of economy.
The country’s high economic growth is associated to large and growing oil and gas exports, but some non-export sectors, which the country sets out to develop, also features growth.
Dynamically developing Azerbaijan offers a competitive labor market for job hunters. The country has become more and more attractive to foreigners with its successful economic development.
If several years ago, Azerbaijan was considered a transit to migrate to West, now it has become a hub for migrants.
Fuad Alasgarov confirm the inflow of worker migrants in the country, saying that Azerbaijan has been gradually turning from the country of origin and transit of migrants into the country of the influx of migrant workers.
Head of Department on Work with Law Enforcement Bodies at the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration noted that the biggest density accounts for labor migration in Azerbaijan.
“Of course, Azerbaijan’s advantageous geopolitical location, stable internal political situation, tolerance of the country, expansion of international communications in the energy and transport sectors, have an impact on dynamics of migration processes,” he said at the 19th meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of Migration Agencies in Baku on October 12.
He added that in this regard, a lot of work was carried out to strengthen the migration policy, informing about approval of state program, improvement of the legislation, creation of institutional mechanisms and introduction of new information technologies.
Alasgarov, however, informed that Azerbaijan has also been recently affected by the migration problems, adding that more and more migrants with fake documents are trying to enter the country.
Alasgarov said that Azerbaijan became the first country in the CIS which faced large flows of migrants and refugees as a result of ethnic cleansing in the 1980s and the occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia.
“More than a million of Azerbaijani people, that is, virtually every eighth person, were forced out of their lands,” he said.
However, Azerbaijan coped with these difficulties and could provide refugees with normal living conditions, he added. “Despite enormous difficulties, Azerbaijan could ensure all the basic needs of refugees and internally displaced people in the subsequent years and integrate them into society,” he said.
Alasgarov said, the consequences of occupation have a negative effect as the occupied Azerbaijani territories are used for organizing illegal migration and other dangerous kinds of transnational crime.
Alasgarov also spoke of establishment of ASAN Visa system, aiming to make life easier for many travelers wishing to visit the country.
Visas through this system will be issued through a single online portal within three days without applying to state organizations.
He said that the service will take effect in Azerbaijan starting November. “Most part of migration documents are issued through ASAN Service centers today, which greatly facilitates the process," Alasgarov said.
“It will be possible to easily get a visa while entering Azerbaijan due to this service,” he said.
The meeting also discussed refugees rights and migrant process in Europe.
Alasgarov said that today Europe experiences the violation of the rights of refugees and migrants from the global flashpoints.
“The most vivid example of migration crisis today is the mass migration of refugees from Syria to Europe. They hope to find asylum in Europe, and instead face harsh and even cruel policy of European countries,” Alasgarov said. “Xenophobic and Islamophobic sentiments are growing and some politicians use these sentiments to come to power."
First Deputy Interior Minister of Russia Alexander Gorovoy told reporters after the meeting, that the CIS migration authorities plan to sign an agreement to create a unified database of lost and invalid IDs of the CIS countries’ citizens.
He said it is necessary to systematize the citizens’ residing procedures in the CIS countries.
“We must establish civilized relations between our countries, accepting certain migrants. We, as heads of law enforcement agencies, need to have a perfect understanding that all decisions based on intergovernmental and interstate agreements, should be implemented in an atmosphere of respect for another state’s law, traditions and culture,” said Gorovoy.
He said there are currently no problems in regards to migrants from Azerbaijan, and noted the high level of cooperation between migration services of Azerbaijan and Russia.
“At the moment, we do not have problems in this regard in general, including the agencies responsible for migration issues and the Azerbaijani citizens coming to Russia for work or leisure. Throughout the 25-year history of CIS, cultural and friendly relations have been established between Russia and Azerbaijan. As for today, we are satisfied with the level of interaction of our countries’ populations,” said Gorovoy.
The agenda of the 19th meeting of the Council Eighteen included issues of the station of migration in CIS member states, implementation of "Cooperation program of CIS member states for the years 2015-2019 on combating illegal migration" in 2015, results of working group meeting on developing general data base of invalid documents of citizens of CIS member states and drafting Regulation on the mentioned data base; practice of reception of mass flow persons in emergency to the territory of CIS member states.
The Council of Heads of Migration Bodies was established under the decision of Council of Heads of States dated October 5, 2007. CHMB includes authorities of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Russia responsible for migration issues.