Uzbekistan's 1.4 Million Labor Migrants Eye New Markets

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — About 1.4 million citizens of Uzbekistan work in nearly 40 countries around the world, with the structure of labor migration continuing to shift from traditional destinations toward Europe and East Asia. This is according to the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan, citing data from the Migration Agency.

According to the agency, the largest number of labor migrants is concentrated in Russia, at 834,200 people, followed by Kazakhstan with 84,400, Turkey with 72,100 and South Korea with 46,400. A total of 258,000 citizens of Uzbekistan work in European countries, with another 97,700 in other countries.

Women account for 398,900 labor migrants, or 28.6% of the total, while young people account for 402,100, or 28.9%. The share of CIS countries in the structure of labor migration has fallen to 29%, while the share of the European region has risen to 42% and that of East Asia to 26%.

The Central Bank notes that trends in the working-age population could have divergent effects on economic growth across regions: in Central Asia, this demographic factor could add about 1 percentage point to annual economic growth, while in Northern Europe it could reduce growth by nearly 0.7 percentage points. This creates economic conditions favorable to the expansion of labor corridors from Central Asia to Europe and other countries with aging workforces, the regulator said.

One of the main economic drivers of migration decisions remains the wage gap between destination and origin countries. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the highest average wage levels were recorded in Luxembourg, at US$9,307 in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms, followed by Belgium at US$8,297, the Netherlands at US$7,234, the United States at US$6,273 and Finland at US$6,253. They are followed by Ireland (US$5,441), Slovakia (US$5,291), Canada (US$4,571), Sweden (US$4,538) and Switzerland (US$4,466).

According to the ILO report, despite sharp uncertainty in economic and trade policy in 2025, the global labor market proved more resilient than expected.

The global unemployment rate remains at around 4.9%, while the broader jobs gap indicator, covering people who are not working but want and are available to work, is projected to reach 408 million people in 2026.

Youth unemployment stood at 12.4% in 2025, and the share of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) reached 20%, covering 257 million young people. The ILO projects the youth NEET rate will reach 20.2% by 2027, and 27.7% among young women, with the figure potentially reaching 34% among women in low- and middle-income countries.

According to the latest available ILO data, for 2022, 167.7 million labor migrants participated in the international labor market, of whom 68.4% were employed in high-income countries. By sector, migrant employment was distributed as follows: 68.4% in services, 24.3% in industry and 7.4% in agriculture.

The Central Bank notes that by 2030, population aging and a shrinking working-age population in European countries will become one of the key structural problems of the labor market, with the region's labor shortage estimated at 7.5 million to 10.5 million people.

Demand for labor is expected to grow in mechanical engineering, high-tech manufacturing, infrastructure construction, transport and logistics, agriculture, medicine, information technology, tourism and services. According to the Institute for Employment Research at Germany's Federal Employment Agency, if the country does not receive at least 400,000 skilled migrants annually, this will negatively affect GDP growth.

Healthcare and social welfare were named as a separate area of demand. According to a forecast by Germany's Scientific Institute of the Private Health Insurance Association (WIP), the number of people requiring care in the country will reach 5.7 million by 2030, requiring up to 500,000 additional healthcare and care workers. In the United Kingdom, according to Skills England, about 90,000 additional care workers will be needed. In Japan, the labor shortage in care, agriculture and construction is estimated at 6 million to 7 million people, while in South Korea, the shortage in shipbuilding, metalworking, electronics and industry is estimated at 1.2 million to 1.5 million people.

Growing demand for workers is also projected in the green energy sector. According to a study by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), Germany is expected to face a shortage of about 300,000 specialists in solar panel and wind turbine installation, as well as technicians, mechanics and environmental engineers, due to renewable energy projects. The Central Bank notes that Nordic countries are becoming a hub for clean technologies, where demand is also growing for workers in green metallurgy, wind energy and information technology.

Growing demand for labor is also projected in the Gulf countries as part of national development programs, including efforts to diversify their economies away from dependence on oil. According to the ILO, Saudi Arabia could need 1.5 million to 2 million additional workers, while the United Arab Emirates could need 1 million, mainly in construction, healthcare, hospitality, tourism, aviation and logistics.

Based on these trends, the Central Bank notes that alongside traditional labor migration, it is becoming increasingly important for Uzbekistan to develop young people's language, professional and digital skills, as well as to prepare for the remote export of services. In further organizing external labor migration, the regulator believes it would be appropriate to take into account demographic and structural changes in the global labor market and new geographic and professional areas where high demand for labor is expected.