Private recruitment agencies that arrange overseas employment for Kyrgyz citizens contributed about $230,000 in tax payments to the state budget last year, according to data published on the Open Budget portal.
At the same time, some migrants say that working conditions abroad do not always match the promises made by intermediaries.
Kyrgyz media report that 159 companies in the country currently hold official licences to facilitate employment abroad. While Russia remains the main destination for labor migration, interest in jobs in Europe and Southeast Asia has increased in recent years.
Kyrgyz citizens can seek employment abroad through the Ministry of Labor, Social Security, and Migration, which has intergovernmental agreements with several countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Slovakia, and South Korea.
However, many migrants continue to use private agencies, citing faster processing times and a broader choice of destinations. According to official information, licensed companies offer employment opportunities in 26 countries, with the largest number of permits issued for sending workers to Bulgaria, Turkey, Russia, Germany, and the Baltic states.
Migrant experience
One Kyrgyz migrant, Nurbek Nogoibayev, said he decided to seek work in Europe for the first time after previously working in Kazakhstan and participating in a Work and Travel programme in the United States. A welder by profession, he said a Bishkek-based agency offered him a factory job in Kaunas, Lithuania.
“They promised inexpensive housing, a two-year residence permit, and stable work. I had an interview via WhatsApp, and since I speak English and Russian and have experience, they quickly accepted me,” he told The Times of Central Asia.
After completing paperwork, obtaining a visa, and paying for travel, he arrived in Lithuania three months later. According to Nogoibayev, the contract signed in Bishkek specified a salary of €5.5 per hour with the possibility of gradual increases. However, he said he was asked to sign a new contract with different conditions upon arrival.
He also reported higher housing costs than initially promised and changes to his working schedule, including a six-day work week and mandatory night shifts without additional compensation.
When he contacted the agency in Bishkek, he said he was told it could not assist further.
Nogoibayev added that he cannot easily change jobs. According to his understanding of local regulations, foreign workers are required to remain with their first employer for a certain period before switching employment, or risk losing their residence permit. He also said that leaving earlier could result in financial penalties.
“I would like to work overtime to earn more, but that is not possible,” he said.
Calls for oversight
Cases such as this have prompted discussion about the need for stronger oversight of private recruitment agencies and improved protection of Kyrgyz citizens working abroad. Observers note that while overseas employment provides an important source of income for many households, disputes over contracts and working conditions remain a recurring concern.
