...

Combating illegal migration continues

Analysis Materials 15 July 2009 12:08 (UTC +04:00)

The problem of illegal migration is of concern for all civilized, developed countries today. Illegal migration is more dangerous for young countries, including Azerbaijan, which in on the way of independence, but does not have sufficient experience in combating it.

In general, in the world practice, the economic factor is one of the main causes of migration. Citizens of countries lagging behind in economic development are not able to find a job at home and try in every possible ways to settle in the more developed countries.

Compared to last year, the flow of migrants in Azerbaijan has almost doubled. The reason for the increased number of migrants over the recent period is explained with the fact that after financial crisis, sharply visible in Europe, the cases of unpaid wages took place, local professionals were dismissed. The people in search of job are forced to seek it abroad. Azerbaijan, as a country where the financial crisis did not affect much compared with the European countries, experiences a growing wave of labor migrants from abroad.

Besides, if formerly mainly the citizens of Turkey, Iran, Chechnya, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Nigeria, Tunisia, Vietnam and Georgia (More than 500,000 Azerbaijanis reside in Georgia who are also forced to seek job in Azerbaijan) came to Azerbaijan for earning, in recent years, the accelerated development of country's economy has led to the intensification of migration processes from China and Central Asian countries.

According to the data provided by the migration department of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Azerbaijan, as of 1 January 2009, 4,367 migrants have been registered in Azerbaijan. However, in addition to legal migration, there is a huge number of people from other countries working in the territory of Azerbaijan illegally. According to unofficial statistics, more than 100,000 foreigners and stateless persons work in Azerbaijan.

The country must facilitate the flow of capital and skilled workforce. This regulation should bring benefits to the state.

As a positive, foreigners bring new investments, new technologies, best practices to the country.

But along with the positive impact that the migration processes have on the development of the country, the negative consequences greatly enhanced - often serious problems appears, directly affecting state treasury and population. As a result of an increased number of foreign migrant workers, local workers can have a high degree of risk being discriminated. The first threat in the unemployment, because migrants devalue work of local residents.

In addition, the negative effects such as globalization and the rise of criminality significantly increase. Observation of recent days revealed that African citizens started to arrive more in Azerbaijan. Often, most of them arriving in the country do not pass registration, use the territory of Azerbaijan as a transit for drug trafficking. A number of citizens of Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mali are registered as workers of foreign companies operating in Azerbaijan, but in fact they are involved in illegal, criminal activities. And even they create transnational group of drug distribution. And the migration criminality has a significant impact on the criminal situation in general.

Imperfections and gaps in legislation, namely in the field of migration policy, and timeliness of the necessary reforms led to the problems the country faces today.

Increasing the cost of residence permission for foreigners and stateless persons in the territory of Azerbaijan, ratified by country's Parliament on 1 July 2009, to what extent it can slow the flow of migrants into the country?

Upon the changes to the Law on Entry, Exit to Country and Passports, to obtain permission for temporary stay in Azerbaijan, or the extension of up to three months, the state duty was determined at 30 manat, up to six months - 60 manat, up to one year - 120 manat, for students - 40 manat. The cost of permanent residence in the territory of Azerbaijan is 300 manat, for resuming the decision to issue a registration list and extension of period - 10 manat.

The law also included a new item envisaging payment of state fee for the extension of temporary residence in the territory of Azerbaijan up to one month at 30 manat, two months - 60 manat, two to three months - 90 manat.

Flow of labor migrants can also be prevented by additions to the Law on Business Activity which calls for ban on appointment of foreigners as heads of foreign branches and representative offices. The additions were approved by Azerbaijani Parliament.

Under a new article to the law, deputy heads of branches and representative offices of foreign legal entities founded by foreign nationals or legal persons and also in cases they hold more than 51 percent of the shares must be citizens of Azerbaijan and their nomination must be coordinated with relevant executive bodies. In case their assignment is approved, agencies may be granted state registration.

At least 90 percent of employees must be Azerbaijani citizens in companies with foreign capital engaged in agriculture, forestry and fishery, mining, processing industry, production and distribution of electricity, gas and water, wholesale and retail sales of building materials, repair of motor vehicles, household goods and personal belongings, restaurants and hotels, warehousing, transportation and communications, finance and real estate.

Besides all these, the introduction of biometric cards for immigrants can assist in combating illegal migration. This practice exists in the European Union, but is still far from Azerbaijan. This system operates in many airports in the world to identify the users due to the iris of their eyes or fingerprints of their fingers.

Latest

Latest