Over 250 Diaspora Armenian specialists joined “iGorts” program since 2020

Since 2020, more than 250 Diaspora Armenian specialists have participated in the successful “iGorts” program of the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of Armenia. These specialists have had the opportunity to work within the public administration system of Armenia.

In an interview with Armenpress, Anna Mheryan, Head of the Program Implementation and Monitoring Department of the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, provided this information, adding that applications for participation in this year’s “iGorts” program are already being accepted.

“The program was launched on February 27, and applications will be accepted until April 4. However, it is possible that we will extend the application period by another 10 days,” Mheryan noted.

"The fields in demand for specialists are varied, including sociology and social work, military sciences, cultural studies, psychology, education, law, information technologies, disaster and risk management, environmental protection, agriculture, tourism, and more. The program criteria have been slightly updated this year. All Diaspora Armenian specialists with higher education and at least three years of work experience, who are willing to come to Yerevan for one year and be physically present within the state administration system, are eligible to apply. If they meet the specified criteria, they can begin working in the relevant department,'' Mheryan explained.

She added that the application acceptance stage is currently underway, with a significant number of applications already received - 63 from about 13 countries. After the applications are reviewed, the needs of all relevant structures will be gathered, and the participants' CVs will be sent to the appropriate departments based on those needs.

“Since 2020, we have  had around 250 participants in the program. I would also like to mention that, in cooperation with the Hovnanyan and Keron foundations, participants can remain in the program for another year under the same conditions,” Mheryan continued.

She also highlighted the program's high repatriation rate, with almost 73 percent of participants having repatriated over the years.

Mheryan emphasized that “iGorts” 2025 will effectively launch on September 1, and all interviews will be completed by the end of June or the beginning of July. Around 500 interviews are conducted each year.

Selected participants in the program are provided with a round-trip air ticket, one-year health insurance, and a fee for a one-year residency permit.