Turkiye Plans Electronic Work Visas and Migrant Database for Uzbek Citizens

Uzbekistan and Türkiye are discussing new steps to simplify legal labour migration, including an electronic work visa system for Uzbek nationals and a joint database to track irregular migrants.

Talks in Ankara focused on strengthening cooperation in employment, data sharing and migration management. Deputy Interior Minister Mehmet Aktas met the Uzbek delegation to review proposals that would let Uzbeks already in Turkiye under other visas apply for work permits without leaving the country.

Turkish employers in Antalya expressed interest in hiring up to 1,000 Uzbek seasonal workers for hotel jobs through the state employment agency Ozel İstihdam Burosu. The Turkish side also suggested building a shared database to coordinate migration monitoring and law enforcement.

Uzbek officials said Turkiye had offered technical support for system integration. A memorandum between the two interior ministries is expected soon, with implementation likely in early 2026.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has previously said Turkic nations could «count themselves as Turkish», underscoring closer cultural and labour ties. The new measures aim to make migration smoother and deepen bilateral cooperation.