The number of Uzbeks leaving for Russia for work is declining

In the first half of 2026, 1.18 million Uzbek citizens traveled to Russia for employment. However, this figure was reported to have declined by 13.2 percent compared with the same period last year. Experts attribute this to new requirements for labor migration, economic factors, and citizens’ growing interest in job opportunities in other countries.

According to statistics, the number of citizens leaving for Russia for work has declined in nearly all Central Asian countries. Turkmenistan was the only country to record an increase.

As of the end of the first half of 2026:

Uzbekistan — 1.18 million (-13.2%),

Tajikistan — 494.5 thousand (-17.9%),

Kyrgyzstan — 289.1 thousand (-16.7%),

Kazakhstan — 122.7 thousand (-0.2%),

Turkmenistan — 13.4 thousand (+41%).

Nevertheless, Uzbekistan remains the country sending the largest number of labor migrants to Russia for work. At the same time, in recent years, Uzbeks’ interest in working in countries such as South Korea, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom has also been growing.