President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was presented with suggestions on simplifying migration procedures and supporting migrant workers.
The movement of labor is a natural occurrence worldwide. Uzbekistan is taking specific actions to ensure the organized and safe migration of its citizens for employment abroad. In the past two years, the Agency for External Labor Migration has successfully sent 70,000 people to work in developed countries.
However, some citizens choose to go abroad on their own for work that does not require specialized skills. The nature of their work, living conditions, occupation, and income may vary.
Prior to this, the President had set a goal to facilitate access to the international labor market and provide employment opportunities for returning migrant workers. To achieve this, proposals have been developed to improve the labor migration system.
Under these proposals, the Agency for External Labor Migration, currently under the Ministry of Employment, will be transformed into a state institution. The director of the agency will also serve as the Deputy Minister of Employment and the head of the Fund for Support of Migrant Workers.
In the embassies and consulates of Uzbekistan in the UK, Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Japan, a new position of labor migration attaché will be established. In Saudi Arabia, a representative of the agency will be appointed. To quickly address issues faced by Uzbek citizens abroad, 24-hour call centers will be set up at embassies and relevant ministries.
Following the principle of “starting work abroad from the mahalla”, hokim’s assistants and youth leaders will identify individuals interested in working abroad and enter their information into the “Online Mahalla” platform. Candidates will then be invited to compete for jobs with foreign employers.
Vocational and targeted training will be provided at vocational education institutions for individuals who lack professional skills or language proficiency. To facilitate this, a center for teaching foreign languages and targeted job preparation will be established at the Agency for External Labor Migration.
Individuals wishing to work abroad face various expenses. To alleviate this burden, the state will reimburse a portion of the costs for work visas, tickets, language proficiency tests, and professional qualifications. Individuals who obtain an international language certificate or its equivalent will be reimbursed 50% of the language learning costs.
The issue of providing assistance to returning migrant workers in finding employment is crucial. Based on the experience of Saykhunabad, financial aid will be provided for running household plots, generating income, and other employment services. Banks affiliated with mahallas will offer preferential loans under the “Continuous Support for Small Businesses” program. Medical institutions will provide free medical examinations for returning migrants and their families. “Inson” centers will provide social assistance to children whose parents work abroad.
Enterprises that hire individuals returning from labor migration will receive a monthly subsidy of 500,000 UZS per employee for one year from the Employment Support Fund. This year, 100 billion UZS will be allocated from all sources for these initiatives.
The President has instructed to ensure the effective functioning of this system, provide quality service to citizens, and increase employment opportunities.
UzA