Quarter of Migrant Workers Registered

By December 1, 22,112 foreign migrant workers were registered.

According to the State Social Protection Fund (SSPF) in January-November, the number of people registered in the individual registration system of compulsory insurance increased 29.3% (in absolute numbers – 5 012).

The vast majority of migrants are men (89.2%). The system of individual registration has registered the labor rights of citizens of 104 countries, most of which are from Turkey (11 815 people), Georgia (2 492) and Russia (1 269).

The process of attracting foreign nationals working in the country to payment of contributions for compulsory social insurance was launched in January 2006.

According to local non-governmental organizations, the number of migrant workers is 3.5 - 4 times higher than the official data and is tens of thousands, many of whom are illegal workers. In this case, the Labor Inspectorate of the relevant ministry and the State Migration Service, identifying enterprises with 200-300 unregistered immigrant workers, fine the employers for only one violation fact. It is beneficial also for the employers, saving their contributions to the State Social Protection Fund, which leads to underpayment to the state budget and violations of the rights of migrants.

In 2014, the Migration Service was applied by 70 000 people, but most of them were denied legalization. That is, every 5 out of 7 potential migrants were refused, fined or deported. Fines are profitable for the Service, as a quarter of these funds come at its disposal. In addition, in the country there are many Azerbaijanis, who have fled from Iran and are deprived of their rights without even a "road map".

In the same position are also Azeris, who moved from Georgia. They are citizens of this country, so they cannot receive Azerbaijani citizenship. At the same time they own real estate in Baku and are registered here, and their children learn in schools and universities of Azerbaijan and even serve in the army of our country. --17D-