A total of 670 employment programs for forcibly displaced citizens from Nagorno-Karabakh have been implemented in 2025 as part of the Armenian government’s broader initiative to ensure job placement and professional reintegration. The program, which covers 2024–2025, includes 2,469 planned interventions. This year alone, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs plans to implement 1,000 of them, according to Zhora Sargsyan, head of the ministry’s Employment Department.
The program consists of three components:
- Professional training (up to 6 months): Participants receive a monthly stipend of up to 50,000 AMD for tuition reimbursement and an additional 50,000 AMD scholarship. Upon completion, they must sign a three-month employment contract with an employer, who in turn receives up to 50,000 AMD monthly as wage compensation and similar support for covering taxes and social contributions. “Employers must have an open vacancy registered with the Unified Social Service. We match them with eligible candidates, and they choose who to hire,” Sargsyan explained.
- Work placement (minimum 6 months): In this model, the beneficiary signs a work contract for at least six months. The employer receives 165,000 AMD monthly for the first three months as wage compensation, followed by up to 50,000 AMD monthly for taxes and contributions for another three months.“We set beneficiary caps for each program to match budget availability. The number of participants cannot be unlimited,” he added.
- Combined model (training + internship): This long-term format starts with up to six months of training (same 50,000 AMD support per month), followed by a six-month employment contract. During the first three months, employers receive 165,000 AMD monthly. The next three months include compensation of up to 50,000 AMD monthly for taxes and social contributions.
Popular professions among applicants include sales assistant, makeup artist, nail artist, pastry chef, baker, accountant, delivery driver, cashier, tailor, and general laborer. According to Sargsyan, interest in the program remained high this year following a significant increase in participation in 2024.
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh. One day later, on September 20, the Artsakh authorities agreed to a Russian-mediated ceasefire and disarmament. On September 24, mass displacement began, with over 100,000 people forcibly relocated to Armenia. By January 1, 2024, the Republic of Artsakh was officially dissolved. Only around 20 Armenians reportedly remain in the region.
