​FOREIGN SPECIALISTS IN IT-TECHNOLOGIES CAN STAY IN MOLDOVA WITHOUT RESIDENCE PERMIT

Foreign specialists in the field of informational technologies will be allowed to stay in Moldova without the need of residence permit. Corresponding amendments to the legislation were adopted at the Friday’s Parliament meeting.

Presenting draft amendments, Speaker Andrian Candu said that informational technologies have great chances to become the most competitive branch in Moldova.

“Currently, is generates 6-7% of Moldovan GDP. We have to attract specialists from all the countries to become a kind of technological hub, as Moldova does not have rich natural resources, but it has human resources”, he said.

According to the document, investors can conduct activities totaling three months per year with providing necessary documents. Highly qualified specialists can work in the country for 6 months per year.

For simplifying this procedure, a Commission will be created for assessing the right of foreign qualified IT specialists in the territory of the country. This will be a collective agency, made of seven representatives of different organizations.

According to the author, the simplification of the legislative basis for stay of these foreign citizens in the territory of Moldova will allow transnational groups, including Start-Up companies, to identify, use and develop human resources. Such examples exist in Ireland and Lithuania – countries, which, according to support the IT sector, created a fast and efficient permitting normative basis for issuing visas to people, who are investing in IT sector, highly qualified specialists in this field, as well as members of their families.

Liberal Party MP, member of the parliamentary Standing Committee on National Security, Defense and Public Order Roman Botan said that the amendments are threatening the country security. According to him, it is necessary to reduce the number of countries which have such possibility.

According to amendments, people, who occupy executive positions on the basis of the national passport, certificate of no criminal record and documents, confirming their post, may stay in Moldova for a period of up to 6 months. Investors can stay in the country at the same conditions for up to three months, while high qualification specialists – six months. For their families the same conditions are applicable.