Azerbaijan Work permit

Employer-sponsored work permit for foreigners over 18. The employer must show a vacancy that no Azerbaijani citizen with the required skills is applying for and that employment services cannot fill locally. The worker then receives a temporary residence permit on the work-permit ground. ^{1 2 3 4}

What you must show and pay

• A fee of AZN 350 (≈ $210) · State fee, paid by the employer, for a work permit (or extension) of up to 3 months decided within 20 working days; AZN 500 (≈ $290) within 15 working days and AZN 700 (≈ $410) within 10 working days. ^{4 2}
• A fee of AZN 600 (≈ $350) · State fee, paid by the employer, for a work permit (or extension) of up to 6 months decided within 20 working days; AZN 700 (≈ $410) within 15 working days and AZN 900 (≈ $530) within 10 working days. ^{4 2}
• A fee of AZN 1,000 (≈ $590) · State fee, paid by the employer, for a work permit (or extension) of up to 1 year decided within 20 working days; AZN 1,200 (≈ $710) within 15 working days and AZN 1,400 (≈ $820) within 10 working days. ^{4 2}

Requirements

• Employing a foreigner without a work permit is prohibited unless an exemption applies. ¹
• Exemptions cover permanent residents, entrepreneurs, heads and 51 percent founders of foreign-invested companies, and branch heads. ¹
• Exemptions also cover technology-park residents and their ICT specialists, and highly skilled migrants. ¹
• Secondments of up to 90 days a year in designated fields are also exempt. ¹
• The employer pays the state fee: AZN 350, (≈ $210) 600 or 1,000 (up to 3 months, 6 months or 1 year) for a decision within 20 working days; AZN 500, (≈ $290) 700 or 1,200 within 15 working days; AZN 700, (≈ $410) 900 or 1,400 within 10 working days. ^{4 2}
• The employer submits an application, a passport copy and a notarised qualification document. ¹
• The employer submits a justification of the need for the foreign hire and its registration documents. ¹
• A certificate that the worker is not a carrier of listed infectious diseases is submitted. ¹
• The labour contract must match the permit validity. ¹
• The employer requests an extension at least 30 days before expiry. ¹
• The permit is revoked if the extension fee is not paid within 30 days or if the residence permit is refused. ¹

Stay

• Work permit issued for 1 year, or the shorter contract period; extendable each time for up to 1 year (up to 2 years for work in the liberated territories). If it lapses without another ground the worker must leave within 10 working days.
• First stay: up to 12 months, decided case by case.
• Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.

Work

Work for the sponsoring employer in the permitted role for the permit term.

Family

Spouse and dependants can apply for temporary residence on the family ground; family members do not receive work rights automatically.

Checked 2026-10-12

Official sources

1. Labour activity of foreigners: work permit conditions, exemptions, documents · State Migration Service of Azerbaijan · checked 2026-10-11
2. Work permit state fees FAQ · State Migration Service of Azerbaijan · checked 2026-10-11
3. Temporary and permanent residence of foreigners and stateless persons (Migration Code grounds, documents, duration) · State Migration Service of Azerbaijan · checked 2026-10-11
4. State duties · State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan · checked 2026-10-11
5. FAQ: temporary and permanent residence permits · State Migration Service of Azerbaijan · checked 2026-10-11