A total of 600,000 Kyrgyz citizens are currently living abroad, with Russia remaining the primary destination for Kyrgyz labor migrants, Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Minister of Labor, Social Security, and Migration, Bakyt Darmankul uulu, said at a press conference last week, citing data from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
As of the end of 2024, 379,949 Kyrgyz nationals were registered with Russian migration authorities.
According to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Labor, the distribution of Kyrgyz migrants in other countries is as follows:
- Kazakhstan – approximately 70,000
- Turkey – around 32,000
- United States – about 40,000
- South Korea – more than 17,000
- Germany – about 15,000
- United Arab Emirates (UAE) – more than 10,000
The Role of Remittances in Kyrgyzstan’s Economy
Labor migration remains a vital source of income for many Kyrgyz households, with remittances playing a crucial role in the country’s economic development.
According to a recent World Bank report analyzing migration trends in Europe and Central Asia, remittances from labor migrants accounted for 24% of Kyrgyzstan’s GDP in 2024. The report also highlights that the poverty rate among Kyrgyz households with an international migrant is currently below 10% but would exceed 50% without remittances.
Shifting Migration Trends
In recent years, many Kyrgyz and other Central Asian migrants have left Russia, due to the country’s economic downturn, stricter regulations, and rising anti-immigrant sentiment. As a result, an increasing number of migrants from Central Asia are opting for alternative destinations such as Turkey, South Korea, and various European countries.
