Uzbekistan Offers Grants to Citizens Returning From Abroad

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan’s Migration Agency has announced grants for citizens returning from abroad to launch or expand their own businesses, the agency’s press service said.

The program is being implemented with the participation of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and financial support from Sweden’s Ministry of Justice. Its main objective is to encourage entrepreneurship among citizens with experience of labor migration.

The maximum funding available for a single business project will be 60 million soums. Recipients will be selected through a competitive process.

In evaluating applications, organizers will consider the viability of the business idea and whether the applicant has a clear plan for its implementation.

The project’s potential to create new jobs will be an important criterion. The sustainability and effectiveness of the proposed or existing business will also be assessed.

Uzbek citizens who worked abroad in 2025-2026 and subsequently returned to Uzbekistan are eligible to apply. The program will place particular emphasis on the participation of women.

Applications will be accepted until 21 September. Additional information is available by phone at (+998) 90 021 50 38 via Telegram.

Separately, the Migration Agency has announced another grant program for Uzbek citizens working in the United Kingdom. The opportunity is open to those who participated in the UK Seasonal Workers Scheme in 2024-2026.

Participants in the UK program will be required to complete a one-day intensive training course in Tashkent. To proceed in the competition, applicants must prepare a business plan and provide evidence of their entrepreneurial experience.

Applicants must also confirm their willingness to cooperate with the IOM over the next two years. This will allow experts to assess the program’s impact on participants’ living conditions.

Applications for this program will be accepted until 20 September.

The grant initiatives come amid expanding migration cooperation between Uzbekistan and Sweden. In June, the two countries signed a migration and mobility partnership agreement.

Representatives of the foreign ministries of the two countries also signed a declaration launching a pilot program in this area. The document provides for support for legal migration and the development of academic exchanges.