Almost 11,000 Kyrgyz nationals have found work abroad — 40 per cent have gone to Turkey

For thousands of Kyrgyz citizens, working abroad remains one of the main ways to increase their income and gain new professional experience. Since the start of the year, 10,785 Kyrgyz citizens have found employment abroad with the assistance of private employment agencies.

Labour migration spans 27 countries, though Turkey has become the main destination. A total of 4,476 people travelled there to work — over 41 per cent of the total number of those employed. Other popular destinations include the United Kingdom, Bulgaria and Germany.

Interestingly, women accounted for more than half of those employed abroad – 5,484 people.

Private employment agencies act as intermediaries between Kyrgyz nationals and foreign employers. Currently, 143 companies hold official authorisation to carry out such activities.

This market is regulated by the Centre for the Employment of Citizens Abroad, which operates under the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration. Since the start of the year, an interdepartmental commission has held four meetings and considered 83 applications for the issue or renewal of licences. As a result, 65 licences were issued, generating 260,000 KGS for the national budget.

As the number of people wishing to work abroad increases, so does the risk of encountering illegal intermediaries. The Ministry of Labour recommends checking that an agency holds a valid licence before signing a contract.