A major step has been taken to resume employment opportunities for Uzbek citizens in the Republic of Korea. A delegation led by Behzod Musayev, Director of the Migration Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers, held talks with Pak Wansu, Governor of Gyeongsangnam-do Province.
During the meeting, the parties agreed to employ residents of Tashkent Region in Korea’s agricultural sector under the E-8 seasonal worker visa. According to the new program, the workers will be employed in Hapcheon, Cheongnyeong counties, and Miryang city for 8 months (5+3).
In this regard, the Migration Agency and Gyeongsangnam-do Province signed a bilateral cooperation agreement on attracting seasonal labor for agricultural work. This agreement marked the practical implementation of previous diplomatic discussions.
According to the Korean Ministry of Justice, such agreements must specify the sending and receiving regions. Therefore, as part of the pilot program, workers from Tashkent Region will be selected and assigned to three designated Korean regions.
In the first stage, labor demand requests will be collected, and starting in 2026, cooperation will be expanded depending on the discipline and productivity of Uzbek workers.
It is worth recalling that in 2021, Uzbekistan became the first country to send workers to Korea under the E-8 visa program. At that time, 420 citizens participated in the pilot project, but due to some failing to return home after the contract ended, the program was suspended.
Following several years of negotiations between the relevant ministries of both countries, the Korean government has now decided to reopen this opportunity. This is expected to create new employment prospects for thousands of Uzbeks.
The Migration Agency has urged citizens to strictly comply with labor contracts and Korean laws, and to return home on time. Officials noted that adherence to these rules will determine whether similar opportunities will be expanded or restricted in the future.
According to reports, in November–December of this year, applications will be accepted from Korean employers, after which the candidate selection process will begin. This marks a new chapter for Uzbeks in the international labor market — with legal, safe, and profitable working conditions.
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