Kyrgyzstan’s second Resource Center for Migrants opened in the capital, Bishkek, on May 22.
The new center is intended to expand citizens’ access to reliable information on safe, organized, and legal labor migration, as well as raise public awareness of the risks of illegal migration, human trafficking, and other forms of exploitation.
The center was established under the EU-funded PROTECT project, a regional initiative implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development in Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Migrant resource centers are intended to serve as first points of contact for people considering employment abroad, particularly those who may otherwise rely on informal recruiters or unverified online information. Such centers typically provide advice on legal migration pathways, employment procedures, documentation, workers’ rights, and the risks associated with irregular migration.
According to Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Labor, Social Security, and Migration, the Resource Center in Bishkek will conduct outreach activities, organize pre-departure orientation sessions for potential migrants, providing training on safe labor migration.
The first Resource Center for Migrants in Kyrgyzstan opened in Osh, the country’s second-largest city, in March 2024. Since then, the center has provided assistance to more than 21,000 people through consultations, information events, and job fairs.
The opening of the Bishkek center comes as labor migration continues to play a major role in Kyrgyzstan’s economy. Remittances help support household incomes, particularly in regions where local employment opportunities remain limited. However, dependence on foreign labor markets also leaves migrants vulnerable to rule changes, currency fluctuations, and exploitation by intermediaries.
In 2025, remittances to Kyrgyzstan totaled $3.49 billion, according to the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic. The vast majority, $3.29 billion, came from the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), while $198 million came from countries outside the CIS.
Kyrgyzstan is working to diversify its labor migration destinations. Russia has long been the main destination for Kyrgyz labor migrants, although Bishkek has sought in recent years to expand legal employment channels to other countries, including Turkey, South Korea, Japan, and several European countries.
