The Uzbek community in Russia: how labor migration formed

Today Russia is the largest destination for Uzbek labor migrants. But the roots of this community reach further back — to Turkestan's incorporation into the Russian Empire. Below, how the Uzbek community in Russia took shape is set out with exact dates and official figures, on the basis of sources.

Historical roots: Turkestan and the Russian Empire

Russia conquered Central Asia in the 19th century. On 4 June 1865 General Mikhail Chernyayev took Tashkent. On 23 July 1867 the Turkestan Governor-Generalship was created with Tashkent as its capital; its first governor-general was Konstantin von Kaufman. The Emirate of Bukhara became a Russian protectorate by a treaty of 1868 (confirmed in 1873), and the Khanate of Khiva by a treaty of August 1873. This began more than a century of political and economic ties between the Uzbek lands and Russia.

The Soviet era

Under the Soviet Union, movement within the union was controlled (the propiska system), yet thousands of Uzbeks went to Russian cities to study and work. After the earthquake in Tashkent on 26 April 1966 destroyed most of the city, workers were brought from across the union to rebuild it — such movements deepened the ties. Even so, today's Uzbek diaspora formed mainly not from the Soviet legacy but from labor migration after 1991: in 1991, movements within the union became international cross-border flows overnight.

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After independence: Russia as the main destination

After independence Russia became the primary destination for Uzbek labor migrants. According to official data, Uzbekistan is the country sending the most labor migrants to Russia: about 1.2 million at the end of 2023, and up to 1.8 million by mid-2024 according to Russia's Interior Ministry; Uzbeks make up roughly 55% of migrant workers in Russia. By the end of 2024 that number fell to 698,000 — a drop of more than 40% from 2023 — mainly because of tightening restrictions.

The patent system and the Eurasian Economic Union

From 2015 Russia replaced work permits with a “patent” system for visa-free CIS nationals: within 30 days of arrival one must apply for a patent, find work and submit a labor contract; a one-year patent costs about 56,000 rubles. An important point: Uzbekistan is not a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) — it holds observer status — so Uzbek workers must obtain patents, whereas citizens of EAEU members Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan have the right to work freely within the union.

Remittances

Russia is the largest source of Uzbek remittances. In 2024 Uzbekistan received about $14.8 billion in remittances in total, of which $11.5 billion (77%) came from Russia; in 2022–2023 that share was around 80%. According to the World Bank, without remittances poverty in Uzbekistan would be 16.8% rather than 9.6%; remittances equal about 14% of GDP.

The size of the diaspora

The 2021 Russian census recorded 323,278 Uzbeks. But this figure is considered to substantially undercount the real number: including undocumented and seasonal workers, estimates range from 1 million to 2 million and above. Most Uzbeks are concentrated in Moscow, with smaller communities in Saint Petersburg and other large cities.

Entry bans and recent changes

In 2013–2015 Russia introduced a tiered entry-ban system (3-, 5-, or 10-year bans for violations and overstays); in 2014–2018 about two million migrants, mostly from CIS countries, were expelled, many rerouting to Turkey or Kazakhstan. The 22 March 2024 attack on Crocus City Hall near Moscow (the attackers were Tajik citizens, not Uzbeks) intensified restrictions and pressure on all Central Asian migrants. In the first half of 2026, work-related entries to Russia by Uzbek, Tajik, and Kyrgyz citizens fell by 15%. This is one of the largest turning points in the history of Uzbek migration.