President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a high-level meeting on labor migration issues, demanding a radical overhaul of state policy in this sector. The head of state pointed out that existing opportunities are severely underutilized and set a formidable task to increase the annual volume of foreign remittances to 50 billion dollars, mirroring the recent export milestone of 70 billion dollars.

According to the president, over the past decade, the number of Uzbek citizens working abroad has halved, yet the volume of remittances sent home has quadrupled, surpassing 20 billion dollars. However, the leader expressed strong dissatisfaction that current remittance figures are achieved entirely through the personal efforts of the migrants themselves, with virtually no contribution from government bodies. He heavily criticized ambassadors, regional governors, and vocational school directors for their passive performance.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that Uzbek labor migrants should be equipped to earn at least 2,000 dollars abroad. He stated that accepting low-paying jobs yielding around 400 dollars is unacceptable for the nation's dignity. To resolve this, the approach to preparing youth must change fundamentally, ensuring that school graduates possess professional skills and command at least one foreign language.

The meeting also addressed the shortcomings of diplomatic missions in facilitating organized employment. Despite having hundreds of thousands of young people with English proficiency certificates, the potential to place them in English-speaking countries remains poorly realized. The president demanded that embassies actively safeguard the rights of citizens and provide comprehensive support from departure until successful integration abroad.

Source: www.gazeta.uz