The number of Uzbeks going to Russia has decreased: the number of labor migrants fell by 13.2 percent

In the first half of 2026, the number of Uzbek citizens who went to Russia to work amounted to 1.18 million people. This is 13.2 percent less compared to the same period last year. This was reported in the Central Bank's "Labor Market Review".

 

According to the report, in January–June 2025, the number of Uzbeks who went to Russia to work was 1.358 million people. In the same period of the current year, this indicator fell to 1.179 million people.

 

At the same time, Uzbek labor migrants are also increasing in other countries. In particular, in 2025, the number of Uzbek migrants in the European Union increased by 13.2 percent, and in Turkey by 10.7 percent.

 

As of July 1, 2026, there were 70 thousand Uzbeks in Turkey, which is 9.3 percent more than a year earlier. In South Korea, 102.2 thousand Uzbek citizens were registered. This indicator increased by 3.3 percent year-on-year.

 

Despite the decline in labor migration to Russia, the volume of remittances from this country to Uzbekistan continued to grow. In the first half of 2026, remittances sent from Russia increased by 8.8 percent compared to the same period last year.

 

The Central Bank stated that the decline in labor migration in some countries may have a negative impact on remittances, household incomes, and consumer demand in the future.

 

It was also noted that the number of announced vacancies in the second quarter of 2026 decreased by 9.8 percent. At the same time, job seeker activity remained at a high level, and competition in the labor market intensified.