New Tajikistan Migration Law Aims to Improve Overseas Recruitment

Tajikistan has adopted a new migration law that introduces a system for rating foreign employers and provides for assistance to citizens returning from work abroad. The legislation also seeks to make it easier for Tajik citizens to find jobs overseas through official recruitment channels. President Emomali Rahmon signed the law on October 21, and the full text was published on October 23 by the parliamentary newspaper Sadoi Mardum. It replaces legislation dating back to 1999. According to the World Bank, approximately one-quarter of Tajikistan's labor force works outside the country. Between 2022 and 2025, migrant remittances averaged nearly half of the country's gross domestic product. Russia remains the main destination for labor migration. What the New Law Changes Under the new law, Tajikistan's migration authorities will establish a register of foreign employers, with ratings based on their treatment of workers, including wages and working conditions. Migrants will be able to submit complaints, which will be considered when employers are assessed. The authorities will also have the power to restrict cooperation with companies that violate workers' rights. The legislation also provides for online platforms where migrants can find vacancies and sign employment contracts electronically. Citizens who arrange their own employment abroad, rather than using recruitment agencies, are entitled to free advice from migration officials about vacancies and working conditions in their destination country. Another provision requires the authorities to set quotas for workers going to different countries and determine how the system will operate. The law also establishes a unified information system to improve migration records and data exchange between government agencies. Many of these measures focus on organized recruitment, which currently accounts for only a small proportion of Tajikistan's labor migration. In 2025, a total of 35,747 Tajik citizens found jobs abroad through 30 licensed organizations, including more than 31,000 in Russia. According to official figures from Dushanbe, more than 702,000 people left the country to work abroad that year. Although the figures are not directly comparable, placements through licensed agencies amounted to only around 5% of reported departures. Russia and the Search for Alternatives Following the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow in March 2024, Russian authorities tightened migration controls. A register of foreign nationals without legal grounds to remain in Russia has been in operation since February 2025. Those listed face restrictions on financial transactions and property registration. In July 2026, Tajikistan's Deputy Minister of Labor, Migration, and Employment of the Population Sharif Norzoda reported that approximately 160,000 Tajik citizens were on the register, including about 25,000 minors. During discussions of the new legislation, Labor Minister Soleha Kholmahmadzoda stressed the need to expand the range of countries where Tajik citizens can find work. Dushanbe is holding talks on employment opportunities in Kazakhstan, the Gulf states, South Korea, Japan, and the United Kingdom. However, Russia's labor market remains considerably larger than those of these alternative destinations. Jobs for Returning Migrants The new law provides for assistance to citizens returning home, including vocational training and help finding employment....