Uzbekistan: A Human-Centered and Systematic Approach to Labor Migration Management
In recent years, Uzbekistan has undertaken comprehensive reforms in the field of labor migration. These changes are aimed at ensuring the safe and legal employment of citizens abroad, while protecting their rights and interests.
The authorized body responsible for coordinating labor migration — the Migration Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan — implements state policy in line with national labor market needs and global trends.
Reforms and New Legal Frameworks
In October 2024, a Presidential Decree reorganized the activities of the Migration Agency. The updated system focuses on legalizing citizens’ labor activities abroad, improving their professional and language skills, and providing post-return support for reintegration.
The agency’s main objective is to promote safe, orderly, and humane migration. Migration is viewed not merely as an economic necessity but as a means of developing human capital and enhancing social stability.
Expanding International Cooperation
Uzbekistan is actively pursuing practical cooperation agreements in the field of labor migration with Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and several European nations, including Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Sweden.
In 2024, Uzbekistan and Germany signed an Intergovernmental Agreement on Partnership in Migration and Mobility. The 25-article document promotes the fair mobility of qualified specialists, including students, trainees, journalists, and researchers wishing to work in both countries.
The agreement also encourages temporary labor migration, facilitates long-term stays for employment and professional training, and enhances opportunities for skills development.
Furthermore, a Joint Declaration on Cooperation in the Field of Migration and Labor Migration was signed between the Swedish Ministry of Migration and the Uzbek Migration Agency. This partnership aims to curb irregular migration, improve information exchange, and strengthen consular support mechanisms. Both sides are now working to develop human rights–based, transparent, and well-organized migration frameworks.
Uzbekistan has also signed an Intergovernmental Agreement on the Mobility of Professionals and Students with France, and a Memorandum of Understanding on Migration and Mobility with Italy — under which Uzbek citizens are being recruited to work in Italy’s healthcare sector.
Belgium has been identified as a promising future partner. Uzbekistan seeks to expand cooperation with European countries in labor market alignment, education, and skills standardization.
Training and Protection of Citizens
Uzbekistan places strong emphasis on preparing its labor migrants to meet the demands of foreign labor markets. In training centers across the country, citizens study foreign languages, professional skills, and labor legislation.
Partnerships with international companies such as Hyundai Heavy Industries (South Korea), SBH WEST GmbH (Germany), and Proud Partners (Japan) allow Uzbek workers to obtain internationally recognized certificates and gain access to qualified employment opportunities.
The state also provides financial and legal assistance to citizens. Through the Migration Support Fund, microloans are offered to cover visa, insurance, and airfare expenses.
Uzbekistan’s foreign missions safeguard the rights of migrants, regularly monitoring their working and living conditions. In the first half of 2025 alone, more than 80,000 citizens received information and material assistance through these mechanisms.
A Human-Centered Policy
In Uzbekistan, labor migration is regarded as a human-oriented dimension of state policy rather than a purely economic one. The process aims to ensure that citizens can work under decent conditions in the international labor market and that their families enjoy stable sources of income.
At the same time, the government is working to digitize migration processes and introduce advanced management technologies, creating a more convenient and transparent service system for citizens.
Conclusion: Uzbekistan’s reforms in the field of labor migration are fully aligned with international standards and based on the principles of respect for human dignity and rights.
Today, Uzbekistan remains open to international cooperation, striving to promote legal, safe, and orderly migration as a means of ensuring sustainable economic growth and social well-being.