Labor migration is a process that encompasses today the entire world community and plays an important role in the socio-political and cultural life of people. It is worth noting that depending on the socio-economic situation of countries, the number of labor migrants in the world increases every year. For example, in 1970 the total number of international migrants were no more than 85 million people, which amounted to 2.3% of the total population of the globe. The same figure reaches 280 million people in 2020, which includes 3.6 percent of the total world population, of which 87 million are from Europe, 86 million from Central Asia, and 59 million from North America. The rest of the world’s regions account for less than 18 percent of the total number of immigrants. However, it should be said that Central and Latin American countries have experienced the highest rate of growth in the number of immigrants over the past 15 years (114 percent).
Observations and analysis prove that the busiest migration corridor in 2020 was from Mexico to the United States, where about 11 million people migrated, including about 4 million people from the Syrian Arab Republic to Turkey and about 3 million people from India to the United Arab Emirates, which in each case have certain objective reasons. For example, immigrants from Mexico to the United States seek to find suitable employment and obtain citizenship in that country. From Syria to Turkey, it’s about finding a safer place and protecting your family from known conflicts. From India to the United Arab Emirates, the goal of immigrants is to find a permanent job and a decent salary. The issue of labor migration is not new for the Republic of Tajikistan, it was appeared in the period before independence. That is, even in the times of the USSR our citizens traveled to other republics to earn money. Internal migration was also growing, citizens from remote areas of our country migrated from villages to cities to realize their plans for livelihood or good jobs with high salaries.
During the period of independence, the issue of migration in the Republic of Tajikistan is considered one of the most important economic and social issues. Today, most of the population of our Republic migrates to the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, European and Asian countries. According to the official statistics of the Ministry of Labor of the Republic of Tajikistan, available on the website of the Ministry, the total number of immigrants at the moment is 652,000 people (22.02.2024).
It should be emphasized that during the period of independence migration has passed through several stages and is in a state of development and adaptation to the current situation of the modern world. If in the first years of state independence migration was associated with internal unrest and stability, and to protect themselves and their relatives, they migrated to neighboring countries and Russia, which can be called forced migration, then after the 2000s migration took on a different color and to improve the financial situation of their families, people went to labor migration, which can be called seasonal migration. Because gastarbeiters returned home to their families during the cold season.
In today’s conditions, we see that our citizens have turned not only to cities in Russia and Kazakhstan, but also to developed countries, i.e. Europe, America, the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, such as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Emirates and Asia, such as South Korea. This stage can be called a new process in the development of society. Because at this stage migration has acquired a variety of colors. That is, migration is carried out in order to improve financial situation, to find a suitable place at another level of activity, to realize their plans and desires in other regions of the world, to provide themselves and their children with modern education and profession of modern science, and technology, etc.
It should be emphasized that the process of labor migration is under special attention and are taken as necessary by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, especially the Founder of Peace and National Unity — Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan respected Emomali Rahmon. Currently, the Republic of Tajikistan has established mutually beneficial cooperation and signed agreements and memorandum of understanding with the countries of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, India, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, China and South Korea in the field of labor migration. A total of 12 agreements on labor migration have been signed between the Republic of Tajikistan and foreign countries, and 5 drafts of which are under consideration.
At present, it is observed in our republic that the majority of emigrated citizens are young people. The reasons and factors of this process can be explained in different ways. However, according to observations and analysis it appears that along with creating more opportunities to realize their goals and plans, young people are motivated to use these opportunities and therefore want to study, work and engage in other activities in developed countries. Also a special motivation for our young people has become the use of the opportunity to live and work abroad, to get acquainted with the culture, customs and everyday life of other peoples and nations. Along with all this, it should be recognized that this process as a whole has both positive and negative sides. Its positive sides are familiarization with the culture of a new country, acquaintance, interaction with people with different mindset and worldview, which leads to the development of thinking and expansion of a person’s worldview. It is these positive aspects that can make our young people immigrating to developed countries successful in their daily activities and utilize these skills, knowledge and experience after returning home.
The negative sides of this process are primarily the misuse and unintentional use of staying in another country and joining any unacceptable and prohibited organizations, such as extremist and terrorist organizations.
In general, the main reason for citizens, especially young people, to go abroad in search of work is the lack of permanent jobs and adequate wages at their place of residence. In 2012, the Center for Strategic Research under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan conducted a sociological survey on labor migration, according to the results of which more than 65 percent of respondents indicated the main reasons for migration was the lack of jobs, and the lack of decent wages. It should be recognized that the unemployment rate in the republic is still high despite the measures taken by the Government of the Republic.
The ongoing economic crisis and job cuts at industrial enterprises increase the likelihood that city dwellers will face unemployment and low wages, forcing them to increasingly emigrate abroad. As a result of the departure of workers and specialists of industrial enterprises abroad, a new problem for enterprises today is the shortage of highly qualified personnel. Qualified and experienced specialists either left abroad for general reasons or moved to other spheres inside the republic — commerce, trade, household services, etc., and now do not want to give up this type of activity. However, a large number of unemployed cannot fill the available vacancies at enterprises due to low level of professionalism and qualification. Now among laborers it is difficult to find 2-3 experienced specialists in the field of electrical engineering or any other profession in the field of technology.
At the same time, the number of students studying abroad increases every year. For example, in 2010, 593 citizens went abroad to study. In 2021, this number reached 40,000 people. As can be seen from the figures, the number of Tajik students wishing to study abroad is increasing every year, but their future fate remains uncertain. Of course, they are attracted by the favorable conditions of education, life and work in developed countries, and this makes the relevant state structures and the people of Tajikistan take timely measures to prevent this process and protect the «brains» of the nation.
The Founder of Peace and National Unity — Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan respected Emomali Rahmon has repeatedly emphasized this and in one of his speeches mentioned that the main means of our defense is not missiles, tanks and guns, but the intellectual power of our nation. At a meeting with the youth of the country in May 2013, they emphasized that «…in the 21st century, the progress and wealth of countries are based not on the number of population and natural resources, but on intellectual abilities, the level of education, awareness and access of the population to methods and technologies determine their modernity and effective use. Even during the meeting with representatives of the clergy of the republic, the president of the nation asked them that «…if you support the head of state, support only by backing science and education». It follows from the words of the Head of State that the importance of the issue of development and protection of intellectual resources of the country is understood at the state level, and necessary measures are taken by the Government of the Republic and the Head of State in order to nurture and maintain intellectual resources, this precious wealth, which is considered a guarantor of the development of each state and nation and the most important factor of security.
Of course, developed countries are interested in having businessmen from other countries come to work and contribute to their economies. Because migrant workers have mastered professions in other countries, and when they return to their home countries, they can use the knowledge, experience and skills gained here.
If labor migrants present good customs and traditions of their people and at the same time use the spiritual resources of the country where they worked, enrich their spiritual world, and learn to evaluate economic, political, scientific and technical events and phenomena, then this type of migration will benefit the state and the nation.
Abdulloeva S.N.,
chief specialist of the Department of Analysis
of Social Issues of the Center for strategic research
under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan
