On April 2, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev discussed easing access for Uzbek citizens to the external labor market and measures to ensure employment for those returning from labor migration. The Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction presented proposals developed at the president's instruction.
Over the past two years, the Agency for External Labor Migration under the Ministry of Employment has organized the departure of 70,000 people to work in developed countries. However, many citizens go abroad independently for jobs that do not require special qualifications, often facing substandard working and living conditions.
To streamline migration and support labor migrants, the Agency for External Labor Migration will be transformed into a state institution. Embassies in the UK, Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Japan will introduce labor migration attaches, while Saudi Arabia will have agency representatives. Round-the-clock call centers will be set up in embassies and relevant ministries to address issues faced by citizens abroad.
A new principle will be introduced where "work abroad starts from the mahalla" - local leaders will identify individuals interested in working abroad and enter their details into the "Online Mahalla" platform. Candidates will be invited to compete for jobs with foreign employers.
Training in professions and targeted preparation will be provided to citizens lacking professional skills and language knowledge. A language learning and job training center will be established under the Agency for External Labor Migration. The government will compensate part of the expenses for work visas, tickets, language proficiency assessments, and professional qualifications.
Financial assistance will be provided to returning labor migrants to engage in household farming, receive income, and access employment services. Banks linked to mahallas will offer preferential loans under the "Continuous Support for Small Business" program. Free medical check-ups will be conducted for returning migrants and their families.
The "Inson" centers will provide social support to children whose parents work abroad. Employers hiring returnees from labor migration will receive a monthly subsidy of 500,000 soums per employee for a year from the Employment Support Fund. In 2024, 100 billion soums will be allocated for these initiatives from all funding sources.
