Provision of legal and practical assistance to citizens wishing to work abroad, protection of the rights of labor migrants is one of the most pressing issues of today. In recent years, systemic reforms have been carried out in this sphere and important tasks have been identified.

On 20 October 2020, the Law “On Employment of the Population” was adopted, which strengthened the protection of the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of citizens in employment outside the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The Resolutions of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On additional measures to further improve the system of external labor migration of the Republic of Uzbekistan”, “On measures to introduce a system of safe, orderly and legal labor migration” were adopted, in accordance with which a fund was created to support and protect the rights and interests of individuals, working abroad. A system of health and life insurance for labor migrants has been introduced, and mortgage loans are provided to their family members.

However, the analysis shows the presence of several serious problems in the regulation of external migration issues. In particular, only 11,000, that is, 0.6 percent out of 1,840.0 thousand migrants who went to work abroad, were sent through the Agency for External Labor Migration or private employment agencies.

In most cases, citizens have to illegally travel abroad to work. As a result, they have problems with receiving wages, one-time financial assistance in the absence of housing, providing appropriate assistance to people who have been seriously injured as a result of accidents or who are experiencing serious health problems.

According to the above, the faction of the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis sent a parliamentary inquiry to the Minister of Employment and Labor Relations with a request to inform about the measures taken for the organized employment of our compatriots abroad and the solution of existing problems in the sphere, further improvement of legislation in this direction.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations responded to the parliamentary inquiry. It provides detailed information on the measures taken by the ministry to ensure the protection of the labor and social rights of citizens, and to regulate the issues of external labor migration.

In particular, the labor market of several foreign countries was studied and negotiations were held to find potential employers and establish close cooperation with them. Studies have shown that Uzbek workers are in high demand in the construction industry in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan. Information about potential employers and their vacancies is published in the official information sources of the Ministry and the Agency for External Labor Migration, as well as through the “labor-migration” program. Letters of cooperation with foreign employers on temporary employment of citizens of Uzbekistan based on the organizational selection were sent to responsible organizations of several countries.

24 contests via videoconference were held for citizens wishing to work in the Russian Federation, with the participation of a number of companies from this country. 6,000 were selected out of 17.6 thousand Uzbekistan people who took part in these contests. They meet all the requirements of employers.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations and the Yanggu District Administration of the Republic of Korea signed a memorandum on attracting Uzbekistan citizens for seasonal work to the Republic of Korea (visa “E-8”), as well as an agreement with the companies of the Federal Republic of Germany GfM GmbH & Co, KG and HR ARENA GmbH on employment of Uzbekistan citizens in Germany on the dual system. As a result of virtual talks with representatives of the Canadian Sobirovs Law Firm and the law firm Apori Management Company, an agreement was signed and work is underway to send Uzbekistan citizens to work in Canada.

On March 16 this year, a branch of Moscow Multifunctional Migration Center was opened at “Ishga Markhamat” monocenter in the city of Namangan.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, 69,000 labor migrants received counseling and information services and 1,240 received legal assistance. The necessary social assistance was provided to 3,120 labor migrants. The necessary practical assistance was provided in 1,026 cases to provide financial support to labor migrants in difficult life situations, and financial assistance was provided to the families of 13,200 labor migrants.

On 20 March 2021, in accordance with paragraph 261 of the State Program “Year of Supporting Youth and Improving Population Health”, an “Interdepartmental Action Plan for the Development of a System of Effective Protection of the Rights and Interests of Uzbek Labor Migrants Abroad” was adopted.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations said that appropriate measures will be taken to address the issues raised in the parliamentary inquiry.

The information of the ministry is being studied and analyzed in detail by members of the PDPU faction.