Migrant Workers - The Times Of Central Asia

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Rail Travel

Dushanbe-Moscow Train Service Resumes After Pandemic Suspension

Tajikistan and Russia will reopen a direct passenger train route between Dushanbe and Moscow, restoring the service after it was suspended during the pandemic six years ago. The Dushanbe-Moscow service, a trip of several thousand kilometers that takes four days and passes through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, will start again on June 21. The service will run every two weeks, leaving Dushanbe on Sunday and arriving at Moscow’s Paveletsky Station on Wednesday, and leaving Moscow on Thursday and arriving in Tajikistan’s capital on Monday. “At the request of the Railway Administration of the Republic of Tajikistan and in coordination with the railway administrations of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, direct rail communication between Moscow and Dushanbe has been restored,” Russian Railways said in a statement. It said the service had been suspended in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Tajikistan’s state Khovar news agency confirmed the resumption of the train route, citing the Ministry of Transport. Stops on the journey include Bukhara, Nukus, Kungrad, Kandyagash, Aktobe, Sol-Iletsk, Orenburg, Samara, Syzran, Kuznetsk, Penza, Ryazhsk, Skopin, and Ozherelye. Tajikistan and Russia had discussed restarting the train route between their capitals as far back as early 2025. Currently, Tajikistan operates train services that link Dushanbe, Khujand, and Kulob to the Russian city of Volzhsky. Migrants from Tajikistan seeking work in Russia have traditionally traveled on the Dushanbe-Moscow train route.

Labor Migration

Kazakhstan Prepares New Visa System for Migrant Workers and Investors

Kazakhstan is preparing to introduce a differentiated visa system for foreign workers and investors as authorities seek to attract highly skilled specialists while tightening oversight of labor migration. The new migration model was presented by Yerbol Tuyakbayev, first vice minister of labor and social protection during a roundtable discussion at the Center for Labor Resources Development. According to Tuyakbayev, the government plans to divide foreign nationals coming to Kazakhstan for work into four categories: business immigrants, highly qualified specialists, mid-level skilled workers, and labor migrants hired by private households for domestic work. “Each category will have a separate visa regime based on the purpose of entry, qualification level, and duration of stay,” Tuyakbayev said. A central element of the reform will be the possibility of transitioning from a temporary work or investment visa to long-term resident status. According to officials, holders of such status would gain access to a range of rights and services similar to those available to citizens of Kazakhstan, including tax incentives, financial services, healthcare, and education. Authorities also plan to simplify administrative procedures for foreigners, reduce application processing times, and introduce a “single-window” system. As part of the reform, Kazakhstan plans to launch the QazETA digital platform, which will include an e-Residency module and a separate e-Residency Invest program. The new system will also include the Altyn Visa, or “Golden Visa,” program, aimed at investors, entrepreneurs, and highly qualified specialists. The government expects the initiative to become one of the key tools of Kazakhstan’s new migration policy and to help retain both international talent and investment capital. The Altyn Visa program is expected to launch before the end of 2026. Experts say Kazakhstan is attempting to strengthen its position in the competition for global talent amid worldwide shortages of qualified labor and growing migration mobility across Eurasia. Anna Alshanskaya, head of economic policy analysis at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies, said the country has the potential to take a “proactive position” as a regional hub for attracting specialists. The initiative has also received support from the International Organization for Migration. Aliya Belonosova, acting head of the organization’s mission in Kazakhstan, said the new system would create additional opportunities not only for attracting international specialists and investment, but also for preparing Kazakhstan’s youth for the labor market of the future. The migration reform comes amid growing demand for foreign labor in Kazakhstan. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that Chinese citizens currently make up the largest group of migrant workers in the country.

Migrant Workers

Over 100 Uzbek Workers in Russia Receive Aid After Months Without Pay

More than 100 Uzbek migrant workers in Russia have received assistance after going without wages and adequate food for four months, according to Uzbekistan’s Migration Agency. The agency said the workers were jointly owed nearly 24 million rubles (about $324,000) and, in some cases, had fallen into irregular legal status. The situation began to improve after the workers contacted the agency for assistance. Following the appeals, the agency’s representative office in Russia worked with legal counsel, while Uzbekistan’s Consulate General sent an official diplomatic note to the relevant authorities. As a result, Russian law enforcement agencies opened a criminal case against the employers under Article 145.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, which covers non-payment of wages. According to the agency, some progress has already been made. A total of 105 workers have received 9.4 million rubles (around $127,000) in unpaid wages. The remaining debt, estimated at 23.9 million rubles, is expected to be paid by May 15. The agency also said that food supplies for the workers have been restored. Those who had lost legal status were assisted in returning to Uzbekistan, and financial support measures have begun. The case was handled in cooperation with Uzbekistan’s diplomatic missions in Russia and Russian law enforcement authorities. Officials said the joint efforts helped address both the financial claims and the humanitarian situation faced by the workers.

Migrant Workers

Uzbekistan Officials Intervene Over Wage Delays for Migrant Workers in Russia

Uzbek diplomats and migration officials have intervened to resolve wage disputes affecting dozens of Uzbek citizens working in Russia’s Tyumen region, according to a report by Dunyo Information Agency. Representatives of Uzbekistan’s Consulate General in Yekaterinburg, together with officials from the Migration Agency, traveled to the city of Tobolsk, where they met with more than 100 Uzbek citizens working temporarily for local companies. The delegation organized an on-site reception, providing legal and consular assistance and clarifying issues related to passport processing and compliance with migration laws. During the meetings, officials also warned workers about the risks of engaging with illegal or extremist groups and reminded them that joining private military companies could lead to criminal liability. A key issue raised during the visit was delayed wage payments. Authorities found that a subcontractor had failed to pay salaries for February and March to 26 Uzbek workers. Following negotiations involving the main contractor and the employer, the companies acknowledged the debt and agreed to settle it. As a result, approximately 2 million rubles (about $24,945) in wages have been accrued and are expected to be transferred to the workers’ bank accounts in the coming days. In addition, the employers committed to repaying outstanding wages to around 80 other Uzbek citizens who had previously left the company without receiving full payment. Officials also inspected living and working conditions and held discussions with employers aimed at preventing similar cases in the future. According to Dunyo, Uzbekistan’s government considers the protection of its citizens abroad and ensuring fair pay for their work a priority. Such outreach visits and rapid interventions are seen as an important tool for strengthening legal protections for Uzbek migrant workers in Russia and addressing their concerns directly on the ground. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Russia expressed its readiness to facilitate the transfer of more than 3,000 Uzbek prisoners to serve their sentences in Uzbekistan, although the process remains constrained by legal limitations.

Uzbek Diaspora

Over 100,000 Uzbek Workers Recruited to Work in Russia in 2025

Around 106,000 citizens of Uzbekistan went to work in Russia in 2025 through organised recruitment programs, according to a report prepared by Rahim Khakimov, Deputy Adviser to the President of Uzbekistan, and cited by the Russian state news agency TASS. The report states that about 50,000 of these workers were employed by major companies, including Gazprom, Lukoil, Kamaz, AvtoVAZ, Ozon, and SPAR. Overall, an estimated 1.3 million Uzbek citizens are currently working in Russia on a temporary basis. The document also highlights ongoing efforts to simplify labor migration procedures. Agreements reached in 2025 provide for the partial transfer of work patent processing stages to Uzbekistan, allowing migrants to complete key formalities before departure. Authorities also plan to expand Russian-language testing by opening new centres in the cities of Jizzakh and Andijan to better serve the densely populated Fergana Valley, where nearly one-third of the country’s population lives. At the same time, migration trends are gradually shifting. According to Uzbekistan’s Central Bank, Uzbek labor migrants are no longer concentrated solely in traditional destinations such as Russia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, and Turkey. Increasing numbers are seeking employment opportunities in Europe and other parts of Asia. This diversification is reflected in remittance flows. Data show that transfers to Uzbekistan from the United Kingdom have increased by 39% in recent years, while remittances from European Union countries have risen by 37%. Significant growth has also been recorded from countries such as Ireland, Croatia, Slovakia, Lithuania, and the Netherlands, as well as from the United States and South Korea. Analysts attribute this trend to stable demand for labor abroad, relatively steady wage levels, and favorable currency exchange rates. According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Uzbek labor migrants typically send home between $200 and $300 per month. Separate estimates from the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford suggest that migrants in the United Kingdom remit between £1,000 and £3,300 annually per person. Overall, the average yearly remittance per recipient in Uzbekistan is estimated at between $2,000 and $4,000. Alongside these broader trends, consular support for Uzbek citizens abroad continues. On March 22, the Dunyo news agency reported that representatives of Uzbekistan’s embassy visited a Temporary Detention Center for Foreign Citizens in Russia’s Tula region. During the visit, Consul General Mehriddin Khairiddinov reviewed living conditions and held talks with Russian officials on accelerating document processing and facilitating the return of detained Uzbek nationals. “Supporting fellow citizens and providing them with the necessary assistance remain among the priority tasks of the diplomatic mission,” Khairiddinov said, emphasizing that the protection of citizens’ rights is a key principle of Uzbekistan’s state policy.

Labor Migration

Private Employment Agencies Expand Overseas Recruitment of Kyrgyz Migrants

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.