EU countries are becoming increasingly attractive destinations for Uzbek migrants, driven by higher wages, stronger labor protections, and adherence to international labor standards.
By Shoirakhon Nurdinova April 30, 2026 
In Uzbekistan, a country of more than 38 million people, . That figure is projected to approach 1 million annually by 2030. While a rising share of young people are now pursuing higher education at home, many continue to look abroad for work, driven by wage differentials and the pull of broader economic opportunity.
For most Uzbeks, the choice of migration destination is shaped by three primary factors: visa accessibility, linguistic and cultural familiarity, and the presence of established migrant networks. As a result, migration has been concentrated in neighboring or historically connected countries. This pattern, however, is beginning to shift, as more Uzbek migrants look beyond the post-Soviet space toward more regulated, skills-oriented labor migration systems.
Despite growing diversification, Russia remains the primary destination for Uzbek migrants, because of visa-free access, cheaper mobility and existing labor networks. Kazakhstan also attracts substantial numbers of Uzbek workers, driven by geographic closeness, cultural similarity, and relatively low migration costs. Migration to Turkiye is also significant, , with women disproportionately represented in sectors such as domestic and care work.
Beyond the post-Soviet space, a range of destination countries illustrates how differing migration regimes are reshaping Uzbek mobility. South Korea, for example, operates a regulated system under a bilateral framework with Uzbekistan established . With annual quotas for migrants, the program emphasizes pre-departure training, language certification, and employer matching. In 2025, approximately were residing in the country.
Similarly, migration cooperation with Japan has introduced structured pathways such as a , which combines language instruction with vocational training. While Japan’s migration programs largely emphasize temporary employment, they also signal a broader institutionalization of labor mobility.
In Europe, smaller labor markets such as Lithuania and Latvia have developed targeted, sector-specific channels particularly in transport and logistics where Uzbek workers are becoming increasingly visible. Migration to Germany is largely employer-driven and demand-oriented. It hinges on the formal recognition of qualifications and private-sector recruitment channels, with no fixed quotas for most skilled categories.
European Union countries are becoming increasingly attractive destinations for Uzbek migrants, driven by higher wages, stronger labor protections, and adherence to international labor standards. Access, however, remains constrained by the Schengen area’s stringent visa regime.
In 2024, Uzbek citizens submitted , marking a 26.2 percent increase from 2023. Germany emerged as the primary destination, receiving 19,329 applications and issuing 15,205 visas. Even so, barriers to entry remain notable: the overall rejection rate stood at 15.8 percent, with Germany accounting for the largest absolute number of refusals.
At the same time, labor shortages across the European Union are increasingly shaping migration demand. Germany, in particular, faces persistent structural gaps in sectors such as healthcare, skilled trades, logistics, and hospitality. According to the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, more than , while the Institute for Employment Research estimated that over 1.4 million positions remained unfilled in late 2024.
These pressures are driving policy innovation. Recent reforms include the introduction of Germany’s points-based Chancenkarte and the expansion of bilateral labor agreements, both aimed at easing access for qualified foreign workers and better aligning migration with labor market needs. In response to demographic decline and mounting labor shortages, Germany is expanding structured migration channels. The bilateral labor migration agreement with Uzbekistan was intended to facilitate both skilled migration and vocational training pathways.
At the same time, demand-side pressures are intensifying. Germany’s aging population, ongoing technological transformation, and persistent gaps in vocational training have generated sustained demand for foreign labor. In 2024, more than , with a substantial share remaining unfilled. Employers in sectors such as healthcare, construction, transport, and hospitality are increasingly turning to international recruitment, including partnerships with Uzbek institutions and labor agencies, to address these shortages.
Germany is emerging as a structurally important destination within Uzbekistan’s evolving migration landscape. While it is unlikely to displace traditional destinations such as Russia or Kazakhstan in the near term, its sustained demand for skilled labor combined with institutionalized migration agreements and demographic pressures positions it as a key long-term destination.
The effectiveness of this shift depends on Germany’s ability to streamline administrative procedures, improve systems for qualification recognition, and expand language and vocational training pathways at scale. For Uzbekistan, the central challenge lies in preparing a workforce capable of meeting the requirements of highly regulated labor markets, while simultaneously strengthening institutional capacity to support safe and legal migration channels.
Other destinations illustrate additional distinct migration models. Poland, for instance, relies heavily on migrant networks and comparatively accessible visa procedures to meet labor demand across key sectors. The United Kingdom has introduced , supporting short-term and circular migration flows.
Ultimately, the trajectory points not to a sudden reorientation, but to a gradual recalibration, where Germany, and other European countries, assume an increasingly important, though highly selective, role within the broader mobility portfolio of Uzbek workers.
The EU sits in its own category. For Uzbek workers willing to navigate the paperwork, language requirements, and Schengen visa hurdles, Germany and its neighbors offer something neither East Asia nor the post-Soviet space can fully match: long-term residency prospects, robust worker protections, and integration into some of the world’s most productive economies. What emerges from this comparison is not a story of one destination replacing another, but of Uzbek migration maturing into a genuinely diversified system. As institutional channels to Europe deepen and labor shortages across the EU show no sign of easing, the competitive landscape for Uzbek workers is quietly but consequentially shifting westward.
This article is based on work completed for a GIZ-funded feasibility study on migration from Uzbekistan to Germany.