New website enables to provide employment-based residence status faster

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. The new single electronic platform of providing employment-based residence status allows employers and foreign employees to complete the registration process in a shorter period of time.

The platform was presented by the Migration Service of the Armenian Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on April 19, but the platform is operating since January 1, 2022.

Head of the Migration Service Armen Ghazaryan said that they made the presentation a little later because of the coronavirus-related restrictions. He said this platform has two advantages: firstly, it cuts the time spent on administration and ensures the simultaneous work of different state agencies in online domain. Secondly, employers and foreigners do not need to contact the state bodies face-to-face, in other words, all documentation processes have been minimized. In fact, a foreigner needs a one-time visit to the Migration Service at the end when he/she must get the card confirming his/her residence status.

“The first step in the platform is done by an employer. He/she is registered, submits a job description and presents that there is a foreign candidate for that particular job. After that the case is sent to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, and if the ministry has in its database an Armenian citizen employer for that particular position, it presents, if an Armenian citizen employer is elected, the case closes, if not, the process goes to the next stage. Here the foreigner’s data is checked, the respective security checks are being carried out and he/she is provided with a residence status for a term of up to 1 year, or is rejected depending on the results of the security checks”, the Head of the Migration Service said.

He informed that as of April 18, 2022, more than 260 foreigners received an employment-based residence status and among the EAEU citizens over 170 have received a certificate of legal residence. The EAEU citizens receive the residence status within a week, in case of other citizens, the process may last 25-30 days, compared to the previous 60-80 days.

Armen Ghazaryan said they are in daily contact with employers and some changes have already been made in the platform based on the proposals and problems raised by them. He said this will be continuous in order for the platform to be more effective.

Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Vache Terteryan said the platform has already shown its efficiency as they already have citizens registered by this platform and successful stories.

“I attach very importance to the fact that thanks to this platform all agencies will conduct their functions without additional documentation. They will have a chance to get the necessary information and collect a necessary base for further monitoring without any contact with an employer and foreign citizens.

Heghine Hovhannisyan, having over 14 years of experience in the field of human resources, said they have always hired foreign employees both in the past and present workplaces.

“Previously, it was a terribly time-consuming process, which took both the time and in fact, was detrimental to the employer because when an employer is constantly engaged in documentation issues, all the remaining works suffer. We now have foreigners in this company, we have used the platform and I can state that everything is easier now compared to the past, and you do the process very fast just sitting in front of the computer”, she said.

The specialist said at the initial stage there were some difficulties because of unawareness, but the staffers of the Legal Department of the Migration Service are ready to help all employers and introduce them on all nuances how to use the platform.