Government of Uzbekistan plans to reduce the number of labor migrants by 16.6% in 10 years

By 2030, the government of Uzbekistan plans to reduce the number of labor migrants by 16.6% (around 1.96 million people) compared to 2018. This is envisaged in the draft concept of complex socio-economic development of the Republic until 2030.

As the document states, in 2018, 1 million 960 thousand people left Uzbekistan in search of work abroad.

The project predicts that by 2030, the number of economically active population in the country will increase by 17% – from 15,099 million in 2018 to 17.707 million. Thus, the number of migrants will decrease from 2.355 million to 1.965 million, with a decline of 16.6%.

In 2030, the country’s average annual permanent population will reach 38.6 million, the Ministry of Economy and Industry forecasts.

Measures to reduce labor migration include reducing the tax burden on private business income to create new jobs, placing new businesses in the regions, where labor markets are particularly vulnerable, and revising the Labor Code to encourage employers to hire labor force.