Uzbekistan wants migrants to send home $50bn each year. That’s nearly triple 2025 levels
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said migrant remittances should cross a $50bn mark, a sum currently equivalent to roughly a third of Uzbekistan’s 2025 GDP. He also called for better training and support for Uzbeks seeking higher-paid jobs abroad.
«They are now sending home more than $20bn. If we raise that figure to $50bn, I will be satisfied with your work,» the president told government officials, as cited by local media outlet Gazeta.
«The state has nothing to do with the $20bn our migrants send home today. They have achieved all of this through their own efforts, without help. I will not stop until we raise that figure to $50bn,» Mirziyoyev reiterated.
According to the Central Bank’s international migration review, Uzbekistan received $18.9bn in remittances in 2025, up 28% from 2024. The $50 billion target would require an extra $31.1 billion, an increase of approximately 165%.
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What $50bn means for the economy
Uzbekistan’s nominal GDP was approximately $147bn in 2025, according to the government’s investment agency. Last year’s remittances were therefore equivalent to about 12.9% of GDP. Measured against that same economy, $50bn would equal 34%.
These comparisons illustrate the scale of the ambition; the eventual ratio would depend on GDP when the target is reached.
Higher earnings abroad are already a government priority. Back in April, the Migration Agency described plans to expand vocational and language training with employers in Germany, South Korea and Japan.
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Russia expands migrant recruitment
Russia still remains Uzbekistan’s largest overseas labour market. The Migration Agency puts the number of Uzbek workers there at approximately 834,200, or around 60% of the 1.4 million working abroad.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Labour Ministry has proposed 382,800 work permits for migrants from visa-requiring countries in 2027. That would be about 37% above the 2026 quota of 278,900. The proposal remains under public discussion.
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The ministry said skilled workers account for 92% of employers’ requests. Recruitment through this system mainly draws on China, India, Vietnam, Turkmenistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Türkiye.
