Organized recruitment of migrant workers from Uzbekistan to Russia decreases sixfold

TASHKENT. July 13 (Interfax) - The organized recruitment of migrant workers from Uzbekistan to Russia has declined by almost six times since the beginning of this year compared to the same period in 2021, about 4,000 Uzbeks left to work in Russia as part of the organized recruitment campaign, the press service of the Agency for External Labor Migration under the Uzbek Employment and Labor Relations Ministry said on Wednesday.

"The Agency for External Labor Migration has employed 3,906 Uzbek citizens in the Russian Federation since the beginning of the year," the agency said in a statement.

In total, 22,116 Uzbeks left for Russia in January-June 2021 as part of the organized recruitment campaign, it said.

The agreement on the organized recruitment and attraction of Uzbek citizens for temporary jobs in Russia was signed on April 5, 2017.

As previously reported, about 370 labor migrants returned to Uzbekistan from abroad in January-June, which is 2.2 times more than in 2021.

According to the latest data, as of January 1, 2022, 1.2 million Uzbek citizens were employed in Russia, or about 70% of the total number of citizens of the country working abroad. Sociological surveys show that 59% of polled Uzbek citizens temporarily working in Russia do not plan to return home at this point.