Uzbek Migration Agency Clarifies Service Fees for South Korea Workers

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Migration Agency of Uzbekistan has clarified the legal grounds for charging service fees to citizens deployed for organized employment in South Korea, as well as the allocation of these funds and the status of internal regulatory documents.

The agency stated that the fee structure complies with national legislation. The funding sources for the agency and the authorized uses of these funds are established under Presidential Decree No. UP-162 dated 17 October 2024.

Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 252 dated 22 April 2025 also provides that organizations sending citizens to work abroad independently determine the cost of their services.

The service fee for citizens deployed to South Korea is calculated by factoring in the agency's annual operational expenses, organizational costs, and the proportion of placement costs relative to a worker's expected annual earnings in the destination country.

Service fees are waived under pilot projects in certain new labor markets, while existing fee schedules are periodically adjusted based on economic calculations.

The agency emphasized that revenues are not used solely for organizing departures. The funds also finance legal, social, medical, and operational assistance for Uzbek citizens facing difficult circumstances abroad.

Specifically, when citizens' rights are violated, legal counsel is engaged, financial assistance is provided to those in need, medical expenses are covered, and the repatriation of citizens and their children to Uzbekistan is arranged if necessary. The funds also cover expenses for repatriating deceased citizens.

Although relevant expenses are funded through the Migration Fund, structural divisions of the Migration Agency process and review citizen applications, provide guidance until final resolution, and coordinate with foreign government agencies, diplomatic missions, medical institutions, and transport companies.

To reduce initial expenses for citizens seeking employment in South Korea, the Migration Fund provides reimbursement equal to two base calculating quantities (BCQ), or 824,000 soums, for airfare and US$65, or 790,000 soums, for visa processing. Total compensation amounts to 1,614,000 soums per citizen.

The agency separately addressed order No. 106 dated 24 July 2025, which has been widely discussed on social media.

The "For Official Use" classification was applied to the document in accordance with internal departmental document management rules. However, the agency assessed that the information contained in the order regarding service types, tariffs, and application procedures does not constitute restricted information.

Because the document as a whole carried a restricted classification, the section containing fee schedules was not previously published on open information portals.

The agency is currently revising this procedure. Plans are underway to separate restricted information from public data and publish fee schedules on the official website of the Migration Agency and other official public portals.

This initiative incorporates proposals submitted by Botirjon Shermukhammad, a member of the Public Council under the Migration Agency, regarding the need for greater openness and transparency in communicating official orders and fee structures to the public.

The agency stated that it remains committed to the principles of legality, openness, and transparency, prioritizing the delivery of reliable and legally grounded information on matters of public interest.