In Uzbekistan, supporting labor migrants and their families is one of the priorities of state policy

Today, our country has developed a unique mechanism to ensure the safety, legality, and convenience of the migration process for its citizens, which includes three main areas:

1. Preparation, language training, and professional skill-building for citizens before their temporary departure to a foreign country as labor migrants;

2. Protection of the rights and freedoms of compatriots abroad working as labor migrants, along with providing them with material and moral support;

3. Employment support for citizens returning after labor migration, creating conditions for their social reintegration, particularly their adaptation to the social environment.

Through this system, it becomes clear that our country carefully considers all stages of the migration process—from a citizen’s decision to go abroad as a migrant to their return, reintegration, and adaptation to the social and moral environment. Uzbekistan remains dedicated to protecting its citizens' interests on the international level, under all circumstances.

One of the most important areas of state policy in today’s realities and under conditions of globalization is migration policy. Migration contributes to achieving positive outcomes in the process of development and in implementing the Sustainable Development Agenda goals for the period up to 2030, especially when this process is properly managed.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has repeatedly emphasized that supporting labor migrants and their families is one of the priorities of state policy. He stated:

«Today, migrants play an important role in the economic development of the country; they not only support their families but also contribute to Uzbekistan’s economy. Our task is to create conditions to ensure that their labor rights are protected both within the Republic and abroad».

The President also stresses the need to enhance migrant training, including professional and language training, to increase their competitiveness in the international labor market. One of the key initiatives has been the opening of specialized centers in mahallas, where citizens can take courses in high-demand professions.

As noted by the UN Special Rapporteur on migration issues, migrants bring significant benefits to their host countries: they perform essential work, pay taxes, and often introduce new ideas that make societies more diverse and dynamic. International migrants also benefit their countries of origin. Typically, soon after arriving in a new country, they begin sending money back to their families, and these funds can contribute to building human capital and, if wisely invested, support prosperity. Among those migrants who remain abroad and achieve success, some begin to invest in their home countries, bringing not only a flow of capital and increased trade activity but also the development of ideas, skills, and technologies, which broadens opportunities for these countries to integrate into the global community.

For developing countries, migration primarily represents an opportunity for employment and a way to reduce unemployment. Additionally, remittances from migrants contribute to economic growth. In Central Asian countries, remittances make up a large portion of foreign currency inflows. Therefore, labor migration holds particular and practical importance.

The effectiveness of migration policy influences the resolution of a number of socio-economic issues, especially in relation to ensuring employment for the population, which is especially crucial in developing countries that often face a surplus of labor. However, migration takes various forms, and migration processes generate a range of challenges that require a comprehensive approach. Migration creates issues for both developed countries, which receive migrants, and developing countries, from which migrant flows originate.

Developed countries must ensure the safety of migrants during their stay. Migration generally enhances economic growth and productivity indicators in host countries. At the same time, an increase in migrant flows often carries the risk of escalating interethnic conflicts. Moreover, cases of illegal migration are not uncommon, which can lead to a rise in crime.

Developing countries must prepare their citizens, the migrants, before their departure to another country to facilitate their adaptation and ensure their safety. This preparation involves, first and foremost, raising their awareness of potential risks and threats, thereby preventing the risk of them becoming victims of human trafficking.

Thus, migration as a whole has a positive impact on the economies of both developed and developing countries. However, while migration policy addresses employment needs for developing countries and fills labor shortages for developed countries, it must not entail risks for the migrants themselves. Furthermore, an essential trend is the consideration of gender aspects in migration policy.

This issue is particularly significant for Uzbekistan, one of the most densely populated countries in Central Asia, with a large share of young people among its population. Migration processes in Uzbekistan are expanding rapidly, and the flow of labor migrants from Uzbekistan to other countries is gradually increasing.

Although Uzbekistan is not currently a participant in universal agreements on migration, it has established bilateral agreements on migration issues. Uzbekistan became the 173rd member of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). On November 27, during the 109th session of the IOM Council, the UN migration agency, held in Geneva, Uzbekistan’s application for membership in IOM was supported..

Since 2016, Uzbekistan has increased its focus on migration. Over this period, 13 regulatory documents have been adopted to directly and indirectly streamline this area. According to a 2016 Cabinet of Ministers resolution, a system was introduced to credit employment tenure to labor migrants who pay their social contributions on time.

To make the labor market more transparent, an Agency for Migration was created along with its 14 branches, which include specialized training centers. Citizens can simply visit one of these centers with minimal documentation to immediately register in a unified migration database.

In 2018, the private sector was permitted to participate in labor migration. Over the past two years, 103 private employment agencies have been established, of which 73 received licenses to recruit workers for foreign employment. Currently, only 25 companies are authorized to provide these services, as 39 agencies voluntarily returned their licenses, and criminal cases for fraud were initiated against 11 companies.

Despite these challenges, the private sector has generally had a positive impact on this area. For example, prior to 2018, around 4,000 citizens were involved in labor migration annually through organized channels. Between 2018 and 2020, the number of labor migrants under targeted migration programs reached 190,500 people, of whom 8,900 were provided employment through the Agency for External Labor Migration. In 2021 alone, 108,500 migrants were employed directly through the agency, which is ten times higher than the figures of previous years.

Since 2020, Uzbekistan has focused on the specialization of labor migrants—primarily through professional and language training. Currently, 191 centers are in operation, with plans to increase this number to over 200. Additionally, 136 vocational training institutions have been established in local mahallas. These courses last 1, 3, or 6 months, and the choice of professions is based on demand. In mahalla centers, training is offered in areas such as sewing, computer literacy, hairdressing, and cooking. Regional centers offer a broader selection of up to 22 specialties.

t is worth noting that the government has continued to support labor migrants abroad, including victims of forced labor, with a budget allocation of 38.8 billion soums (approximately $3.46 million USD). The Agency for External Labor Migration has provided financial, social, and legal assistance to vulnerable migrants in host countries and employment support to returning migrants. The agency has conducted pre-departure consultations with labor migrants, providing information on labor and immigration laws in key destination countries, particularly Russia and Kazakhstan. It has also issued medical insurance to some potential labor migrants and provided microloans to cover essential costs, such as transportation and insurance. Additionally, the government, in collaboration with NGOs, has offered information and support to labor migrants regarding safe employment abroad and their rights. Uzbekistan has established agreements with Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Japan to strengthen coordination in the area of labor migration.

In 2020, the Public Fund under the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and other state funds awarded government grants totaling 461 million soums to 15 non-governmental, non-commercial organizations. Furthermore, 981.6 million soums were allocated for financial support to social adaptation centers in the regions for victims of violence. Additionally, NGOs provided grants totaling $369,500 USD to implement projects aimed at combating human trafficking and forced labor, as well as preventing illegal migration.

In 2022, the Republican Social Information Center “Istiqbolli Avlod” (an NGO) provided legal assistance to 2,469 people and practical assistance in repatriating 264 individuals.

Experts have identified the most important factors for labor migration to be knowledge of the English language, the presence of diplomatic representations, airfare costs, and GDP per capita.

The President of Uzbekistan signed a decree “On Additional Measures to Support Citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan Engaged in Temporary Labor Activities Abroad and Members of Their Families.” Under the decree, from June 1, 2022, the Agency for External Labor Migration will establish representative offices in 12 regions of the Russian Federation, as well as in Turkey and Kazakhstan. Each of these regions will be assigned at least two representatives.

From May 1, 2022, based on written recommendations from the assistants of the khokim:

• One-time financial assistance will be provided in the amount of 2 BWR to families whose breadwinners have gone abroad for labor migration and are listed in the "Unified Social Protection Registry" information system.
• One-time financial assistance will also be provided for the purchase of medications, wheelchairs, hearing aids, and orthopedic products in a fivefold amount of BWR to those registered in the "Unified Social Protection Registry" information system or included in one of the notebooks: the “Iron Notebook,” “Women’s Notebook,” and “Youth Notebook,” for persons with disabilities who are family members of citizens who have gone abroad for labor migration.
• One-time free vouchers to sanatoriums and medical-preventive institutions of the trade union system will be provided to members of families of citizens who have gone abroad for labor migration and who live together with them in the Republic of Uzbekistan if they have reached retirement age or have a disability of Additionally, based on written recommendations from youth leaders in mahallas, free vouchers to seasonal camps will be provided for the children of citizens who have gone abroad for labor migration and are registered in the "Unified Social Protection Registry" information system or included in one of the notebooks.

In allocating financial assistance and vouchers to family members of citizens who have gone abroad for labor migration, funded by the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan:

Financial assistance and vouchers will be issued on the condition that the citizens who have gone abroad for labor migration are registered in the "Labor-migration" software complex.

Applicants for financial assistance and vouchers should apply electronically through the "Labormigration" software complex.

According to the Resolution, a "Youth Balance Abroad" will be formed to provide targeted support to young people from Uzbekistan engaged in temporary labor activities and obtaining education abroad. Necessary information about them will be entered into the electronic platform "Yoshlar Portali."

Thus, Uzbekistan pays special attention to improving migration policy while ensuring the consideration of the needs of vulnerable categories of the population. An overview of the measures mentioned above shows that measures in the field of migration policy are being taken with regard to social policy and gender policy.

L.Kh.Isokov, DSc, Associate Professor,
Head of the Department of international law and human rights protection of the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan

A.I. Yesemuratov, Senior Lecturer
of the Department of international law and human rights protection of the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan