Russia is losing Uzbek migrant workers in large numbers — the reason
2026-09-17 09:00:00 / Media about us
The geography of labor migration from Uzbekistan is changing rapidly. Russia still remains the leading destination, but Uzbeks are increasingly choosing European and Asian countries. According to the Migration Agency, 1.4 million people are currently working outside the country.
Around 60% of them (834,200) are currently employed in the Russian Federation, while 258,000 work in European countries, 84,400 in Kazakhstan, 72,100 in Türkiye, and 46,400 in South Korea.
Last year, the flow of Uzbek citizens to the CIS countries declined by 29%, while departures to Europe increased by 42%, and those to Asia by 26%. The authorities have established organized recruitment arrangements with more than 20 countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom, Romania and Japan.
In the first half of the year alone, 124,500 people received official employment contracts abroad, mainly in healthcare, construction, logistics and services.
In the first quarter of 2026, remittances increased by 13%, reaching $3.8 billion. Remittances from Russia declined to $2.75 billion (72.4% of total remittances), while the share of Kazakhstan, South Korea and EU countries increased.
Experts say that the weakening of the ruble and tighter migration rules in Russia are prompting people to choose European and Asian labor markets with transparent conditions and more predictable incomes.
Source: upl.uz