In the first half of 2026, citizens of Uzbekistan have significantly reduced their trips to Russia for work purposes, according to Podrobno.uz.

Data from the Russian border service shows that Uzbek citizens made over 1.1 million entries into Russia with the purpose of 'work' between January and June. This marks a 13.2% decrease compared to the same period last year.

Overall, the number of work-related entries from the three largest Central Asian countries — Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan — dropped by approximately 15%. In the first six months of 2026, around 1.9 million such trips were recorded, down from over 2.3 million a year earlier.

Tajikistan ranks second with 494,500 work entries, followed by Kyrgyzstan with 289,100.

Experts attribute the decline to several factors: stricter migration legislation in Russia, higher costs for patents for foreigners, and increased expenses for medical examinations, housing rent, and transportation.

Meanwhile, more labor migrants are choosing alternative destinations such as South Korea, China, Middle Eastern countries, and the European Union. Additionally, new job opportunities are emerging within the republics themselves, driven by local economic development and foreign investment.

Lawyers note that Russia has intensified control over compliance with migration laws. Violations of stay periods or other requirements now more often lead to foreigners being included in a registry of controlled persons, which can result in a ban on further stay and forced departure.

Furthermore, Russian authorities are discussing a proposal to require migrants to purchase a mobile phone with an installed electronic profile upon entering the country.

Source: podrobno.uz