The Armenian dream for Indians

The number of Indians moving to Armenia is increasing and for thousand of them Armenia is a dream, but not everyone's dream comes true right away

To move to Armenia, have a comfortable job, earn 2,000 dollars a month, exactly half of which you can easily save – this is the Armenian dream for thousands of Indians, following the footsteps of many who have moved to Armenia in recent years. However, not everyone's dream comes true right away.

Amir

Amir, 41, moved to Yerevan last summer. To get there, he first applied for the help of an intermediary organisation, which set up the transfer to Yerevan, pre-arranged accommodation and catering, and promised him a job as well.

“I paid about 1500 dollars for the service. They promised me that I would work as a courier in Yerevan, they said I would not have a language problem, that knowing minimal English was enough. I was to earn at least two thousand dollars, they calculated that I could save at least half of it and send it to my family”, he says.

In his native city, Agra, Amir did various manual jobs, but he was barely able to take care of his family's basic needs, even housing.

“It's difficult in my city, you can't find a decent job, I thought that in Armenia, I could do better, but still, I can't say that everything is smooth. There hasn't been a month yet that I could earn 2000 dollars, and most importantly, I haven't started working as a courier yet, I work as a labourer here as well”, he says.

Amir earns an average of 1000 dollars every month, of which 250 go into accommodation and about 300 into food. A few more basic expenses and the money runs out.

“I barely manage to save about 100 dollars for my family. But I don't despair, I still think that I will be able to find a decent job, there are many Indians here who have one, and I will succeed”.

Indians are the second largest number of foreigners in Armenia after Russians. In November 2023, in response to a question about Indian migrants, former Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan stated that 20-30,000 Indians live in Armenia.

Indians have been coming to Armenia for higher education since Soviet times: they are admitted mainly to the medical university. In recent years, however, a larger number of Indians have been coming specifically to work.

In 2017, the government made it easier for Indian citizens to get an entry visa. After that, the flow of Indians increased. According to the Migration and Citizenship Service of Armenia, 3200 Indians were granted work permits in 2023, 530 in 2022, and only 55 in 2021.

To enter Armenia, Indian citizens must obtain an online entry visa for a maximum period of 120 days, with the option of extending it for another 60 days. If an Indian citizen has come to Armenia to work, their employer must submit an electronic application to obtain a work permit and residence status within the legal term. The annual fee is 105.000 AMD, which is about 250 dollars. A period of one month is set for consideration of applications.

Rajit

“I don't have a work permit yet”, says Rajit, 25, whose name has been changed at his request.

“It's been a month since I came to Armenia, I'm just trying to understand how to get a job”.

A professional chef, Rajit moved to Armenia with the help of friends who had moved to Yerevan earlier, which saved him the traditional procedure of paying an intermediary.

“Coming on your own has another advantage. Many of my compatriots are obliged to pay interest from their income to the intermediary, and you cannot refuse, because the intermediary takes your passport. I have a friend in Yerevan who suffered quite a lot until he was able to get his passport back”, Rajit says.

Rajit lives with four friends in a rented house of 40 sq.m. Compared to his compatriots, they live in quite good conditions.

“If you use an intermediary and pay the accommodation fee, you will live in a dormitory, where there can be 10-20 people in one room, and it costs 200 dollars, that is a lot of money. Many people live in those dormitories today, that’s why very few come with their wives”.

According to Rajit, if you move to Armenia on your own and find a job, you can earn a decent salary. He is satisfied with life in Armenia: if you follow the law, you can make a very good life in this country.

The issue is also under the attention of Armenia's government. During a recent visit to India, the minister of Labour and Social Affairs addressed a number of topics related to cooperation in the labour and employment field.

The need for cooperation in the field of labour migration was emphasised and the possibility was suggested to consider developing the necessary regulations to ensure the employment of Indians arriving in Armenia.

The idea of creating a suitable platform was also discussed, which will allow to recruit the Indian workforce and showcase available vacancies in Armenia through the Unified Social Service.