In the first half of the year, the number of trips of Uzbek citizens to Russia increased by 83%, Kommersant reports with reference to the data of the Border Guard Service of the FSB.

In January-June, Uzbeks made around 1.7 million trips to Russia, which is about a quarter of the total visits by foreigners. Compared to the same period last year, the number of trips increased by 83%.

According to Sergei Abashin, a professor at the Department of Anthropology, the increase in the number of trips from Central Asian countries may be due to the restoration of the entry of labor migrants after the fall caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nevertheless, the Russian expert stated that there are no noticeable incentives for the growth of labor migration.

“The fall of the ruble makes labor cheaper, and some migrants do not go to the country due to the political situation,” Abashin explained.

President of the Association of Gardeners Igor Mukhanin drew attention to the growing influx of labor migrants from Central Asian countries in the agricultural sector. “Labor migration began to recover back in 2022, and today the situation has stabilized,” he said.