According to the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan, based on information from the Migration Agency, approximately 1.4 million citizens of Uzbekistan are working in almost 40 countries worldwide. The structure of labor migration is gradually shifting away from traditional destinations towards Europe and East Asia.
The agency's data indicates that the largest number of labor migrants are concentrated in Russia—834,200 people, followed by Kazakhstan with 84,400, Turkey with 72,100, and South Korea with 46,400. A total of 258,000 Uzbek citizens are employed in European countries, and another 97,700 are in other states.
Among the migrants, women account for 398,900 people, which is 28.6% of the total, while youth number 402,100 people, or 28.9%. The share of CIS countries in the migration structure has decreased to 29%, while the share of the European region has increased to 42%, and the share of East Asia has risen to 26%.
The Central Bank notes that trends in the workforce can have varied impacts on economic growth in different regions: in Central Asia, this demographic factor can increase annual economic growth by about 1 percentage point, whereas in Northern Europe, it may reduce growth by nearly 0.7 percentage points. The regulator believes this creates favorable economic conditions for expanding labor corridors from Central Asia to Europe and other countries with aging workforces.
One of the key economic factors influencing migration decisions remains the difference in wages between destination and origin countries. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the highest average wage levels were recorded in Luxembourg at $9,307 in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) terms, followed by Belgium ($8,297), the Netherlands ($7,234), the United States ($6,273), and Finland ($6,253). Next are Ireland ($5,441), Slovakia ($5,291), Canada ($4,571), Sweden ($4,538), and Switzerland ($4,466).
The ILO report indicates that despite significant uncertainty in economic and trade policies in 2025, the global labor market proved more resilient than expected. The global unemployment rate remains around 4.9%, and the broader job deficit indicator, covering people who are not working but want and are able to work, is projected at 408 million people in 2026.
Youth unemployment in 2025 stood at 12.4%, and the proportion of young people who are neither in education, employment, nor training (NEET) reached 20%, encompassing 257 million young people. The ILO forecasts that the NEET rate among youth will reach 20.2% by 2027, and 27.7% among young women, with a potential rise to 34% among women in low- and middle-income countries.
According to the latest available ILO data for 2022, 167.7 million labor migrants participated in the international labor market, with 68.4% of them employed in high-income countries. By sector, migrant employment was distributed as follows: 68.4% in services, 24.3% in industry, and 7.4% in agriculture.
The Central Bank emphasizes that by 2030, population aging and the shrinking working-age population in European countries will become one of the key structural problems of the labor market, with the labor shortage in the region estimated at 7.5–10.5 million people. Demand for labor is expected to grow in mechanical engineering, high-tech manufacturing, infrastructure construction, transport and logistics, agriculture, medicine, information technology, tourism, and services.
According to forecasts from the Institute for Employment Research of the German Federal Employment Agency, if the country does not attract at least 400,000 skilled migrants annually, it will negatively affect GDP growth. Healthcare and social security have been named as a separate area of demand. According to the forecast by the Scientific Institute of the German Association of Private Health Insurance (WIP), the need for care in the country will reach 5.7 million people by 2030, requiring up to 500,000 additional workers in healthcare and care. In the UK, according to Skills England, about 90,000 additional care workers will be needed. In Japan, the labor shortage in care, agriculture, and construction is estimated at 6–7 million people, while in South Korea, in shipbuilding, metalworking, electronics, and industry, it is 1.2–1.5 million people.
Growing demand for workers is also forecasted in the green energy sector. A study by the German Chamber of Commerce (DIHK) shows that Germany will face a shortage of about 300,000 specialists in installing solar panels and wind turbines, as well as technicians, mechanics, and environmental engineers, due to renewable energy projects. The Central Bank notes that Northern European countries are becoming centers of clean technologies, where demand for workers in green metallurgy, wind energy, and information technology is also growing.
Increased demand for labor is also expected in the Gulf countries as part of national development programs, including efforts to diversify the economy away from oil dependence. According to the ILO, Saudi Arabia may require 1.5 to 2 million additional workers, and the United Arab Emirates—1 million, primarily in construction, healthcare, hospitality, tourism, aviation, and logistics.
Based on these trends, the Central Bank concludes that alongside traditional labor migration, it is becoming increasingly important for Uzbekistan to develop the linguistic, professional, and digital skills of its youth, as well as prepare for remote service exports. The regulator believes that when further organizing external labor migration, demographic and structural changes in the global labor market, as well as new geographical and professional areas with high labor demand, must be taken into account.
New cases of fraud related to job offers abroad have been discovered in Uzbekistan. Scammers promised citizens to organize trips for work in countries such as Dubai, Moldova, and Belarus, but failed to fulfill their commitments after receiving money.
The first identified incident took place in the Ellikkalinsky district of Karakalpakstan. Employees of the Department under the General Prosecutor's Office found out that one citizen deceived three people by promising them assistance with employment in Dubai and Moldova. As a result of this deception, he received $2,000 and 4 million soums from the victims.
Another case was discovered in the Yangihaot district of Tashkent. According to investigative information, the head of one company and his accomplices promised one citizen to arrange travel for work in Belarus, allegedly using existing contacts at the Migration Agency. The suspects were detained while they were receiving $500 and 1.2 million soums.
Criminal cases concerning fraud and attempted bribery have been initiated for both described cases. The investigation is currently ongoing.
It should be noted that a large scheme offering jobs in South Korea had previously been thwarted in Tashkent. Two suspects demanded $55,000 from a man, promising to arrange his employment and residency permit through their high-ranking acquaintances.
In the first half of 2026, there has been a noticeable decrease in the number of citizens of Uzbekistan coming to Russia for work. Nevertheless, Uzbekistan continues to be the leading source of labor migration to the Russian Federation among Central Asian countries.
According to data from the Russian border service, during the period from January to June, citizens of Uzbekistan made over 1.1 million entries into Russia for employment purposes. This figure was 13.2% lower than in the same period last year.
Overall, the total number of labor entries from the three largest Central Asian countries—Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan—decreased by approximately 15%. In the first six months of 2026, about 1.9 million such trips were registered, compared to more than 2.3 million the previous year.
In terms of labor entries, Tajikistan ranks second with 494.5 thousand trips, and Kyrgyzstan ranks third with 289.1 thousand.
Experts cite several reasons for this decline. Among them are the tightening of migration legislation in Russia, the increase in the cost of patents for foreigners, the rise in medical examination costs, as well as increased expenses for accommodation and transport.
Concurrently, more and more migrant workers are considering alternative labor markets, such as South Korea, China, Middle Eastern countries, and European Union states. Furthermore, internal economic development and the attraction of foreign investment contribute to the emergence of new jobs within the republics themselves.
Legal specialists also point to increased control in Russia over compliance with migration norms. Failure to comply with the duration of stay or other requirements now more often leads to the inclusion of foreigners in the registry of controlled persons, which could potentially result in a ban on further stay and forced departure.
Additionally, Russian authorities are considering the possibility of introducing a requirement for migrants to mandatorily acquire a mobile phone with an electronic profile upon entering the country.
