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Central Asian labor inflow to Russia drops about 15% in H1 2026
Russia recorded 1.9 million official work entries for Central Asian citizens in the first half of 2026, down from 2.3 million a year earlier, according to Russian government data cited by Vedomosti.
An analysis of Russian government data cited by Vedomosti indicates the influx of Central Asian labor migrants to Russia fell by roughly 15 percent during the first half of 2026, worsening an already acute labor shortage, OilPrice reports.
The outlet said official work-purpose entries for Central Asian citizens totaled 1.9 million in the first six months of this year, compared with 2.3 million in the prior year.
Vedomosti data cited in the story show that Uzbekistan supplied a large share of guest workers, with 1.1 million arrivals from Uzbekistan during H1 2026.
OilPrice also links the decline to a mix of factors, including increased barriers to employment in Russia, higher costs for work permits and medical certifications, stricter migration policies, and efforts by Central Asian leaders to redirect potential migrants away from Russia.