Azerbaijan, Baku, July 23 / Trend, I. Khalilova /
Azerbaijan and Russia are expected to sign an agreement on cooperation in the field of labor migration before late 2010, head of the Migration Department under the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare Rauf Tagiyev said July 23.
"At the meeting held July 14-15, 2010 during the Azerbaijani delegation's visit to Moscow, which was headed by Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Natig Mammadov the Russian side informed about consent to sign the agreement.At present, this agreement is under Azerbaijani Government's consideration," Tagiyev said.
The need to prepare such an agreement appeared after the Russia Government imposed restrictions on the use of foreign labor force in retail, in sale of alcohol, medicines based on the decision of Nov. 15, 2006. As the Azerbaijani citizens were engaged in namely petty trade in the Russian Federation, respectively, they could lose their jobs.
"However, on the basis of held talks, an agreement was reached to prepare an operational plan of actions to legalize our countrymen's labor activity, a draft agreement was prepared on cooperation in the field of labor migration, which has not yet been signed," Tagiyev said.
The main reason for the delay was the Russian side's proposal on parallel agreement on the read-mission, which prevents illegal residence of citizens and their return to their home country.
"The Azerbaijani Government is preparing for signing similar agreements with many countries, therefore, the country decided first to develop a strategy for read-mission, based on which agreements will be developed with certain countries. It was brought to the Russian side's attention. Nov.11-12, 2009, an expert group consisting of representatives from the Federal Migration Service and the Russian Foreign Ministry visited Baku to discuss a draft agreement on cooperation in the field of labor migration, signing of which was accepted without previous conditions," Tagiyev said.
At present, similar agreements have been signed with Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Georgia.
Currently, Azerbaijan's citizens are dealing with labor activity in Russia based on the annual quota. In 2010, Russia twice decreased the quota on labor migration for Azerbaijan; however, this category does not include individual entrepreneurs and businessmen.