Measures to improve labor migration processes considered

The movement of labor is a natural process throughout the world. Uzbekistan is taking specific measures to ensure the organized and safe sending of citizens to work abroad. Over the past two years, the Agency for External Labor Migration has organized the sending of 70 thousand people to work in developed countries.

However, some citizens independently go abroad to carry out activities that do not require special qualifications. Their working and living conditions, occupation, and income vary.

Earlier, the Head of state set the task of facilitating access to the external labor market and taking measures to ensure employment for people returning from labor migration. In this regard, proposals were developed to improve the labor migration system.

According to these proposals, the Agency for External Labor Migration under the Ministry of Employment will be transformed into a management body in the form of a state institution. The agency’s director will simultaneously be the Deputy Minister of Employment and the head of the Fund for Support of Migrant Workers.

In the embassies and consulates of Uzbekistan in the UK, Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Japan, the position of labor migration attaché will be introduced. In Saudi Arabia, the agency representative position is planned. To quickly resolve the problems of Uzbekistan citizens abroad, 24-hour call centers will be organized at embassies and relevant ministries.

Following the principle “work abroad begins with the mahalla”, the hokim’s assistants and youth leaders will identify those who want to work abroad and enter their data into the “Online Mahalla” platform. Candidates will be invited to competitions for foreign employers.

Vocational training and targeted training will be organized in vocational education institutions for citizens who lack professional skills or knowledge of the language. For this purpose, a center for teaching foreign languages and targeted work preparation will be opened at the Agency for External Labor Migration.

Individuals wishing to work abroad face certain costs. Now, the state will reimburse part of the costs for a work visa, tickets, assessment of foreign language knowledge, and professional qualifications. A citizen who has received an international language certificate or its equivalent will be reimbursed 50 percent of the costs of learning the language.

The issue of helping citizens returning from labor migration find employment is essential. In particular, based on Saykhunabad’s experience, they will be provided with financial assistance for running household plots and generating income and other employment services. Banks attached to mahallas will provide preferential loans within the framework of the “Continuous Support for Small Businesses” program. Medical institutions will offer free medical examinations for returning migrants and their family members. “Inson” centers will provide social assistance to children whose parents work abroad.

An enterprise that hires people who have returned from labor migration will receive a monthly subsidy of 500 thousand UZS from the Employment Support Fund for each employee throughout the year. This year, 100 billion UZS will be allocated for these events from all sources.

The Head of state instructed to ensure this system’s effective functioning, providing quality service to citizens, and increasing employment.