Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The number of Uzbek citizens working abroad has fallen by half compared with 2016, while the volume of money they send to their families has quadrupled, according to figures presented at a meeting chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on labour migration priorities.
The figures were announced by Sherzod Asadov, the presidential press secretary.
Mirziyoyev said the changes reflected a transformation in the nature of labour migration and growing demand for Uzbek specialists in foreign labour markets. Employers are increasingly viewing Uzbek citizens not simply as a source of labour but as skilled professionals.
The president noted that Uzbekistan had significantly reformed its labour migration system in recent years and expanded the geographical scope of international cooperation from three countries to 27. Around 400 major foreign employers have established partnerships with the Uzbek government.
He stressed that, amid changes in the global labour market, Uzbekistan needs to improve the way it matches foreign companies’ demand for workers with the supply of citizens seeking employment abroad.
“People must thoroughly master their profession, know their worth and be able to rely on their country,” Mirziyoyev said.
The meeting also examined differences in the incomes of Uzbek citizens working abroad. According to the figures presented, average monthly remittances to Ferghana Region amount to US$1,850. The figure is below US$700 in Khorezm and Surkhandarya regions, US$600 in Jizzakh and Navoi regions, around US$500 in Syrdarya Region, and US$400 in Karakalpakstan and Tashkent Region.
Mirziyoyev instructed officials to review the organisation of labour migration to help citizens secure better-paid jobs and ensure proper protection of their rights. He stressed the need to monitor where each migrant works, how much they earn and who represents their interests.
To achieve this, closer coordination is planned between regional administrations, technical colleges and Uzbekistan’s diplomatic missions abroad.
Existing cooperation between educational institutions and employers in Germany, Slovakia, Türkiye and Qatar was highlighted as an example.
