The Uzbek diaspora in Germany and Europe: how it formed

The Uzbek community in Europe, and in Germany in particular, is younger and smaller than the diaspora in Russia or the US, but it has been growing in recent years. Below, the story of how it formed is told on a facts-only basis, drawing on sourced data.

Early traces: political émigrés (20th century)

The earliest traces of an Uzbek/Turkestani presence in Europe date to the mid-20th century: the Turkestani political emigration of 1917–1930 (the circle around Mustafa Chokay) and some Turkestanis who remained in Europe after the Second World War. Their numbers were very small. We have a separate article on this period (Mustafa Chokay and the Turkestani political emigration).

After independence: students and professionals

After independence in 1991, and especially in the 2000s, those going to Europe were mainly students, traders and some skilled professionals. This flow was small and scattered, barely visible against the mass labour migration directed toward Russia.

Advertisement

From 2015: asylum applications

After 2015 some asylum applications by Uzbekistanis were recorded in Europe, including in Germany, but the numbers stayed low. According to UN data, in 2018, 232 Uzbekistan citizens applied for asylum in Germany; Germany was among the leading destinations for Uzbek refugees, though the overall figures were small.

The community's size today

According to the Migrants & Refugees Section country profile, there are currently about 13,700 Uzbekistan citizens in Germany. That is small compared with the community in Russia (in the millions) and in the US, but it is a growing figure.

The 2024 turning point: the migration partnership

On 15 September 2024, in Samarkand, Germany and Uzbekistan signed a comprehensive migration and mobility partnership. The document was signed by Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser; Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the ceremony. The partnership provides for recruiting skilled workers (especially in care and health) to Germany and for speeding up the return of those without a legal right to reside.

The legal channel: skilled migration and the EU Blue Card

Germany has eased its skilled-migration legislation in recent years; one of the main legal tools is the EU Blue Card. According to Eurostat, in 2024 the majority of EU Blue Cards were issued by Germany — 56,252 (72% of the EU total). Per reports, for 2026 the Blue Card salary thresholds in Germany are set at about €50,700 for general occupations and about €45,934 for shortage occupations.

The overall picture

The figures show that Germany (and Europe more broadly) is emerging as a relatively new, more skills-based and regulated destination for Uzbek migration, while the older, larger communities in Russia and the US remain far bigger in size.