Tajikistan has officially published a new migration law that establishes, for the first time, a strict minimum age requirement for citizens leaving the country for employment abroad. Under the updated regulations, individuals must be at least 18 years old to depart for labor migration purposes. Official sources indicate that this age restriction applies equally to foreign nationals arriving in Tajikistan for employment.

According to Article 16 of the newly adopted legislation, labor migration is formally permitted exclusively to countries that are capable of guaranteeing the protection of migrants' rights and interests. This provision aims to address safety concerns and enhance the legal safeguards for citizens seeking employment outside the national borders.

The legislative framework outlines two primary pathways for Tajik citizens to secure employment abroad: independent job searching, and organized recruitment through authorized agencies and specialized structures holding official operational licenses. When citizens choose to search for employment independently, the designated state migration authority is legally obligated to provide free information regarding available vacancies, wage levels, working conditions, and relevant foreign legislation.

Current statistical estimates indicate that approximately 350,000 citizens of Tajikistan are currently engaged in labor migration abroad. The overwhelming majority of these workers are employed in Russia, Kazakhstan, and other CIS member states. Analysts note that the previous migration law, adopted back in 1999, lacked any specified minimum age threshold for labor migrants, leaving such matters entirely to the jurisdiction of destination countries.

Source: www.gazeta.uz