For many years, Russia has been the main destination for workers from Central Asia. This geographical situation is now changing. Although Russia remains the region's primary labor market, an increasing number of Central Asians are looking for work in Europe and in Asia, for example, in Türkiye and South Korea. This is not merely a change in migrants' routes. It is an opportunity to use labor mobility to promote human capital development and achieve greater economic cooperation.
Türkiye is in a particularly good position to lead this transition, as it has a large and varied economy and therefore needs workers with different skills. In contrast, Central Asia has a young population, a rapidly growing labor force and a clear desire to expand safe and legal employment opportunities abroad. The natural complementarity in this situation is strengthened by geographic closeness, strong economic relations and close cultural ties.
The opportunity is already apparent. Remittances sent to Uzbekistan amounted to $18.9 billion in 2025, up 28% from the previous year. Moreover, labor migration is becoming more diverse than before, with people now going beyond the usual destinations such as Russia, Kazakhstan and South Korea.
The figures provided by Türkiye itself tell the same story. The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) states that 393,829 people moved to Türkiye in 2025, of whom 301,877 were foreign nationals; Turkmen citizens made up 23.4% of the foreign arrivals and Uzbek citizens 6.9%, making the two countries among Türkiye's main sources of immigration.
Türkiye's interest goes beyond just numbers. Its labor market is experiencing structural changes. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) 2025 economic survey, there are skills mismatches, a lack of digital abilities and shortages in some occupations. Because of the ageing population and technological transformation, the need for appropriate skills will become all the more important. Demand for labour is especially noticeable in sectors that are seasonal or have high turnover, such as construction, tourism, hospitality, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics and domestic and social services.
The present migration model is still fragmented, since workers usually travel first and then look for work after they have arrived, depending on informal intermediaries. They often have only a limited understanding of the real wages, working conditions, legal requirements, or the reliability of an employer. As a result, migrants are vulnerable to fraud, exploitation, being paid nothing and working in irregular situations.
Türkiye also has to pay a price, since informality weakens supervision, leads to lower tax and social security contributions, and puts law-abiding businesses at a disadvantage. A successful migration policy should therefore start before a worker leaves their home, with a properly verified job vacancy, suitable training and a legal contract.
The agreements between Türkiye and Uzbekistan signed in January 2026 provide an important basis. Under the new arrangement, the Turkish Employment Agency (IŞKUR) will centralize data on occupations in demand and forward requests to the Migration Agency of Uzbekistan. The two countries also committed themselves to continuing the regularisation of Uzbek citizens who have irregular status. Starting from March 1, 2026, Uzbek citizens who have lived continuously in Türkiye for at least three years will be entitled to obtain work permits.
This could mark a significant shift from people carrying out job searches on their own to instead engaging in organised labor mobility. However, it should grow beyond being just a one-off bilateral effort.
In December 2025, the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) held its first meeting of its ministers for labor, employment and social protection. A new working group has identified labor mobility, vocational training, the recognition of qualifications, digital employment services, migration governance and social security as common priorities. A broader regional model is thus beginning to take shape.
The next move should be the establishment of a Türkiye-Central Asia Partnership for Labor Mobility and Human Capital Development. It does not have to set up a single migration system. Rather, it should coordinate various practical measures, such as annual forecasts of the occupational requirements of Türkiye; verified digital vacancies; pre-departure training in accordance with Turkish standards; certification and the mutual recognition of qualifications; portable social protection; and assistance with circular migration and for workers who return.
Success should not be judged simply by the number of Central Asians who work in Türkiye. The value that mobility should aim to achieve is the benefit it brings. Türkiye should obtain workers who correspond to actual demand, together with reduced recruitment costs and a decrease in informal employment. The Central Asian countries should have more diversified labor markets, higher incomes and a more skilled workforce. The migrants themselves should get legal employment, social protection, opportunities for professional development and real career prospects.
Return should also be incorporated into migration policy since the skills, savings and experience gained in Türkiye can be used to support entrepreneurship, investment and technology transfer when workers go back to their home countries. This changes the one-way process of worker, wage and remittance into a productive cycle which includes training, employment, acquisition of skills, return and reinvestment.
Labor mobility should cease to be seen as a deal between a country which "sends" workers and one which "receives" them; when properly managed, it has the potential to link up labor markets, vocational education, investment and technology throughout the wider Turkic area. Türkiye and Central Asia now have the chance to shift from managing migration flows to establishing a lasting partnership focused on people, skills and shared prosperity.
