Uzbeks are traveling less frequently to Russia for work.

Uzbek citizens have become less likely to travel to Russia for work. Despite this, Uzbekistan remains the main supplier of labor to Russia among Central Asian countries.

According to the Russian Border Service, from January to June 2026, Uzbek citizens made more than 1.1 million entries into Russia for employment. This is a 13.2% decrease compared to the same period the previous year.

Overall, the number of entries for work from the three largest Central Asian countries – Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan – decreased by approximately 15%. In the first half of 2026, approximately 1.9 million such trips were recorded, compared to more than 2.3 million a year earlier.

Tajikistan ranks second in the number of labor entries with 494,500 trips, and Kyrgyzstan ranks third with 289,100.

Experts attribute this decline to several factors. Russia has tightened immigration laws, increased the cost of patents for foreign citizens, and increased expenses for medical examinations, housing rent, and transportation.

At the same time, more and more migrant workers are choosing other work destinations, such as South Korea, China, the Middle East, and the European Union. At the same time, thanks to the development of the local economy and foreign investment, new jobs are also being created within the republics themselves.

Lawyers also point to increased enforcement of immigration laws in Russia. Violating stay deadlines or other requirements now more often results in foreigners being placed on a register of controlled individuals, which can lead to a ban on further stay in the country and forced departure.

Furthermore, Russian authorities are considering requiring migrants to purchase a mobile phone with a pre-installed electronic profile upon entry into the country.