Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 19 / Trend A. Akhundov /
Proposals on quotas for the activity of foreigners in Azerbaijan in 2011, which amounted to 9,850 people, were submitted to the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers, head of the Azerbaijani Labor and Social Protection Ministry's Migration Department Rauf Tagiyev said.
"According to the law, the quota is fixed by the Cabinet of Ministers," he said. "The quota for 2011 was fixed and submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers by a specially created commission."
The quota on labor migration for 2010 was fixed at 10,700 people, whereas roughly 8,600 foreigners work in Azerbaijan today, he said.
He added that the quota is determined based on the type of economic activity in 2011 and 2010.
"There is a full quota on retail sector activity in 2010," he said. "The quota on this activity will be slightly increased in 2011, as our citizens may be employed in this sphere."
He added that today there are no foreigners illegally working in Azerbaijan.
"If we learn that someone conducts illegal activities, then we immediately take the necessary measures to prevent similar cases," he said. "A fine worth 30,000-35,000 manat may be imposed on employers. Illegal migrants are expelled from the country."
As of Oct. 1, roughly 8,166 foreigners worked at 971 enterprises on the basis of an individual permit, or 2,929 more people over the same period last year.
At present, foreigners from 87 countries work in Azerbaijan on the basis of individual permits. The vast majority are from Turkey (3,855), the UK (1,416), Georgia (312), China (299), India (236), the United States (218), Iran (184) and Russia (167).