Rethinking Labour Mobility: Uzbekistan's Innovative Approach to Controlled Migration

While migration in Europe often implies incoming foreign workers, in Uzbekistan it primarily means citizens traveling abroad to work, gain skills, and return home. This phenomenon is significant: as of 1 October 2025, approximately two million Uzbeks live overseas, with 1.6 million employed, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Most are in Russia, yet an increasing number are moving to Europe and Asia for specialized roles.

Established a year ago under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistans Migration Agency has become the central authority overseeing labour mobility. Its mission is to support Uzbeks working abroad, safeguard their rights, and facilitate access to skilled employment internationally.

Through the recruitment company KOUZON, over 5,000 Uzbeks are joining the cruise sector in 2025, filling roles in gastronomy, healthcare, service, and technical fields with salaries ranging from 1,400 to 3,700 per month. A key agreement with Italys Lombardy Region will see 3,500 nurses placed in Italian clinics from 2026, while Japanese partnerships aim to prepare 10,000 skilled professionals and drivers through training centers in Tashkent, Samarkand, and Namangan. Hyundai is also training specialists in Fergana under this program.

Additional contracts cover 2,000 positions in Austria, 200 in Portugal, and 150 in the Netherlands, mostly for welders, electricians, and agricultural technicians. The Central Bank of Uzbekistan reported that citizens working abroad sent home roughly 13.9 billion in 2024, with many families using these funds to start small businesses, from bakeries to carpentry workshops, generating local employment.

Regulated labour mobility not only supports local economies but also addresses shortages in European industries like healthcare, construction, and logistics. Behzod Musaev, Director of the Migration Agency, emphasizes that every successful migrant represents Uzbekistan positively: educated, responsible, and globally aware.

Europe faces persistent skill gaps in critical sectors. Research from Eurofound indicates that without new recruitment models, millions of roles could remain vacant. Uzbekistans approachtraining and certifying workers before departurecreates a prepared, skilled workforce ready to integrate into European markets.

In Germany, over 2,000 Uzbeks participate in dual vocational programs with companies such as Globogate GmbH and Klett EDU GmbH. In the UK, partnerships with the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority ensure participation in the Seasonal Workers Scheme under transparent legal oversight, meeting ESG compliance standards.

Digital tools underpin this system. The Migration Agency launched Test.xorijda.uz, an online platform offering language and history simulations with seven modules of 150 questions, attracting more than 600,000 monthly visits. The platform enhances transparency, reduces fraud, and prepares candidates for real-world work conditions.

Pre-departure, the Agency and the Institute for the Development of Vocational Education provide a free ten-hour course covering legal rights, social adaptation, visa procedures, housing, labour contracts, cultural orientation, and digital security.

Protection of workers is a core mission. In 2025, the agency assisted over 150,000 migrants with legal, social, and financial issues, recovering 1.75 million in unpaid wages for nearly 3,000 workers, returning over 2,300 citizens home with emergency support, and helping hundreds recover confiscated passports.

Andrew Gray, Chief of Mission at the International Organization for Migration in Uzbekistan, stated that the Agency has created new pathways for labour migration, responded to global demand, and promoted safe migration since its inception in 2024, benefiting both the country and its citizens abroad.

Analysis: Uzbekistan’s Strategic Approach to Outbound Labor Migration

Uzbekistan’s model of labor migration is increasingly structured and results-oriented. With roughly two million citizens working abroad, the government has centralized oversight through the Migration Agency, ensuring both protection and preparation of its workforce.

Key initiatives, such as partnerships with Italy, Japan, and Hyundai, highlight targeted training in healthcare, technical, and service sectors. These programs are designed not only to meet foreign labor demand but also to equip Uzbeks with internationally recognized skills, enhancing long-term employability.

Financially, the remittances—around €13.9 billion in 2024—fuel local entrepreneurship and employment, demonstrating a cyclical benefit from regulated migration. Digital tools and pre-departure training reinforce transparency, reduce fraud, and improve cultural adaptation for workers abroad.

Uzbekistan’s approach provides a model for countries facing labor mobility challenges: by certifying workers, ensuring legal protections, and fostering international partnerships, it simultaneously addresses domestic economic growth and global skill shortages, particularly in Europe’s healthcare, construction, and logistics sectors.

Sources:

• Labour mobility, reframed: Uzbekistan’s new model for managed migration

Author: Maya Henderson
Maya Henderson is a journalist focused on technology and startups. She has experience in leading IT publications and excels at conducting interviews and creating visual content.