Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — A total of 1.116 million Uzbek citizens who had previously worked abroad returned to the country from the beginning of 2026. The authorities aim to find jobs for 250,000 of them by the end of the year. The issue was discussed at a meeting chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on 2 November, presidential press secretary Sherzod Asadov reported.
Among those who have returned are specialists who gained professional experience in Germany, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan and Russia. They worked in industry, construction, logistics, services and agriculture.
The president noted that citizens employed by major foreign companies had gained experience with modern technologies and new production management methods. Their knowledge and skills could be put to use at enterprises in Uzbekistan.
Regional governors and heads of sectoral agencies have therefore been instructed to identify suitable vacancies for returning migrants and help apply their professional experience in the country’s economy.
A dedicated information platform is planned to improve employment efforts. It will collect information about citizens’ previous workplaces abroad, occupations, qualifications and length of service.
The platform is expected to be integrated with the information system used by regional governors and sectoral authorities. This will allow employers to take each citizen’s professional background into account when matching them with suitable vacancies at local enterprises.
Separate measures are planned for citizens interested in starting their own businesses. They will receive advisory support and assistance in creating conditions for entrepreneurial activity.
However, the presidential press secretary’s statement did not specify how many of the 1.116 million returning migrants had already found jobs or how many were still seeking employment.
Earlier, in late September, Minister of Employment and Poverty Reduction Botir Zakhidov told the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis that 661,000 labour migrants had returned to Uzbekistan in the first half of 2026. According to the minister, 557,000 of them had become involved in income-generating activities.
The minister also outlined plans to provide employment for another 70,000 returning citizens, taking their preferences into account. However, the figure of 557,000 covers various forms of income-generating activity and does not mean that all those citizens had secured permanent jobs under formal employment contracts.
