DUSHANBE, December 23, 2009, Asia-Plus — Tajik authorities have not taken any efficient measures to reduce the labor migration outflow, while the number of Tajik nationals seeking better labor opportunities in other CIS countries is increasing from year to year, Ms. Zumrad Soliyeva, the chairperson of the department for foreign migration cooperation within the Interior Ministry migration service, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
“Tajikistan has adopted the national poverty reduction program, under which the government is to provide the population with jobs inside the country, however, there are not yet specific programs for reduction of the number of labor migrants,” Soliyeva noted.
Besides, concerted efforts of all bodies of the government are needed to ensure protection of rights of Tajik labor migrants working abroad, she added.
According to the Interior Ministry migration service, Tajik labor migrants travel primarily to the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan. Official data shows that more than 700,000 Tajik labor migrants are currently working in Russia, while according to unofficial data, the real number of Tajik labor migrants working in Russia exceeds one million people.
