The number of Kyrgyz labor migrants in Russia has significantly decreased in recent years. Today, about 600,000 Kyrgyz citizens are in labor migration, including 379,000 in Russia, compared to 680,000 in 2020, according to Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Minister of Labor, Social Security and Migration Bakyt Darmankul uulu.
Over the past 30 years, hundreds of thousands of Kyrgyz citizens have left their homeland as labor migrants, mainly for Russia. In the last few years, however, there has been a growing trend of return migration largely caused by Russia’s deteriorating economic situation, stricter rules and harsher attitudes toward Central Asian immigrants.
According to Darmankul uulu, the Kyrgyz authorities are interested not only in improving conditions for Kyrgyz laborers abroad, but also in their return to their homeland.
The deputy minister said that migration processes continue, and many Kyrgyzstanis who returned from Russia go to work in other countries.
“The Ministry of Labor, Social Security and Migration has a center for the employment of citizens abroad, which cooperates with four private employment agencies. Last year they helped about 20,000 Kyrgyzstanis to get work abroad. Today, they offer employment opportunities in 29 countries. The most popular destination is Britain, where people go for seasonal work. The UK has allocated a 40,000 quota for foreign laborers, including 10,000 for Kyrgyzstan,” said Darmankul uulu.
He added that since the beginning of this year, 2,500 Kyrgyzstanis have already left for Britain for seasonal work, with another 3,000 to follow soon.
In Britain, most Kyrgyz migrants are employed on strawberry farms.
