According to the "Labor Market Review" by the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, the flow of citizens heading to Russia for employment continues to decline. In January–June 2026, the number of Uzbeks who traveled to this country reached 1 million 179 thousand. For comparison, during the same period last year, this figure stood at 1 million 358 thousand.
According to statistical data, the number of workers traveling to Russia has decreased by 179 thousand within a year. Furthermore, in 2025, the number of Uzbeks working in Russia under a patent system was 1 million 495 thousand.
Against the backdrop of shifts in migration trends, the interest of Uzbek citizens in other countries is growing. Specifically, in 2025, the number of migrants in European Union countries increased by 13.2%, and in Turkey by 10.7%. As of July 1, 2026, 70 thousand Uzbek citizens are working in Turkey, and 102.2 thousand in South Korea.
Although the volume of remittances from Russia increased by 8.8% in the first half of 2026, the Central Bank noted that such changes in external migration could affect household incomes and domestic consumption in the future. At the same time, the number of job vacancies in the domestic labor market has decreased by 9.8%, and competition among job seekers is intensifying.
