Working in Azerbaijan

Working in Azerbaijan means working in a country with a rich history as part of the extensive Silk Road trade routes linking Asia and the Arabian Peninsula to Europe and Africa. Commerce and economic relations have played a major role in shaping the country’s culture. While Azerbaijan isn’t yet as popular an expat destination as other European locations, the country’s abundant oil and gas reserves have attracted substantial foreign investment in recent years.

Thanks to this natural resource wealth, Azerbaijan has developed and diversified and seen an influx of foreigners seeking work opportunities. The capital, Baku, is the centre of commerce and where most expats working in Azerbaijan are based.

If you’re working in Azerbaijan, you are legally required to have a valid work permit, which is usually arranged through your employer. The process typically requires your employer to prove that a local Azerbaijani couldn’t fill the position, demonstrating that your unique skills are needed for the role. Once approved, your work permit validity will match your employment contract period.

Job market in Azerbaijan

Given the country's wealth of natural resources, the job market in Azerbaijan traditionally offers opportunities in the oil, gas, and energy industries. Agriculture is another key economic sector, and you may be interested to know that the country also boasts a significant winemaking industry that’s seen recent growth as a tourism draw.

Azerbaijan’s government has actively diversified the economy beyond traditional sectors, and the non-oil sector is growing quite a bit faster than the oil and gas sector. Communications and information technology offer increasing opportunities for expat professionals, and tourism has bounced back post-pandemic.

Education also presents opportunities if you’re seeking employment. International schools appeal not only to families who move to Azerbaijan with kids but also to teachers with wanderlust who have experience teaching international curricula.

Infrastructure development projects and rising housing demand have fuelled the construction industry, which is booming. The Baku 2040 master plan aims to transform the capital from a monocentric to a multicentric sustainable city, creating new economic zones and improved transport networks. The government’s focus on renewable energy development also presents new employment possibilities for international talent looking to build a career abroad.

International Schools in Azerbaijan
Public Transport in Azerbaijan

Finding a job in Azerbaijan

Finding a job in Azerbaijan is not a concern for most expats, who arrive on an intra-company transfer for a short-term project. If you arrive in the country without a job offer in hand, you’ll want to start your search online. You’ll find numerous job portals where companies advertise in both English and Azerbaijani, with popular sites including Jobsearch.az, Boss.az, and LinkedIn.

You might also go through recruitment companies. Large corporate enterprises may have direct, steady recruitment drives for projects in Azerbaijan, particularly in the growing renewable energy and construction sectors.

Communication will likely be your biggest hurdle in Azerbaijan. Language barriers frequently cause issues adapting in the workplace for new arrivals. English proficiency varies widely across sectors – it’s more common in multinational companies, oil and gas firms, and tourism, while local businesses typically operate in Azeri and Russian. It’s well worth learning at least a few key phrases in one or both of these languages to build rapport with colleagues and demonstrate respect for the local culture.

Local Culture in Azerbaijan

Useful links

• Jobsearch.az
• Boss.az
• Manpower Azerbaijan

Work culture in Azerbaijan

Work culture in Azerbaijan puts relationships first. Azerbaijanis bring their trademark friendliness into business settings, where building rapport and developing trust matters more than rushing straight to business. Meetings typically begin with social conversation before addressing formal agenda items. Punctuality is appreciated, but there’s some flexibility, as meetings may occasionally begin later than scheduled.

Respect for hierarchy and elders plays an important role in Azerbaijani workplace culture. Senior members are typically addressed first in meetings, and their opinions carry significant weight. When working in Azerbaijan, demonstrating this respect shows appreciation for experience and tradition.

Islam is the predominant religion in Azerbaijan. However, the society is largely secular, and it follows that the workplace is too. Business dress is formal and conservative, similar to Western countries, and you’re advised to dress according to the weather, which can get extreme in both winter and summer. Standard working hours generally follow the typical 9-to-5 pattern, although this can vary by industry.

Doing Business in Azerbaijan