Kyrgyzstan has refused to cooperate with an unidentified European country on a workforce deal, saying it won’t accept migrants from Afghanistan and Africa, 24.kg reported, citing Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev. The minister made the statement during a meeting of the parliamentary committee on international affairs, defense, security and migration.
At the meeting, MPs asked what the cabinet is doing to help Kyrgyz citizens find jobs abroad. According to Kulubaev, the government doesn’t mind people working anywhere they want but won’t negotiate with European nations, as the conditions they’re proposing are unacceptable.
«Our fellow citizens are free to travel and work [abroad] when they have a chance. However, we will not intentionally negotiate the terms we were offered,» the minister said, referring to the proposal.
Which countries do Kyrgyzstanis choose to work in?
According to the minister, the geography of labor migration is gradually changing. More and more Kyrgyzstanis prefer to work in Turkey and the U.S. Workers from Kyrgyzstan are also in high demand in South Korea and Japan. In particular, they often work in hospitals as caregivers for older people.
That said, Kyrgyz authorities have no plans to promote mass emigration of their citizens.
As Kulubaev explained, the country itself lacks a workforce, which is why Kyrgyzstan cut state-funded programs aimed at facilitating employment abroad. Seasonal worker programs remain in place, though.
According to Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration, 736,600 people are working abroad this year. In 2025, 789,400 people worked abroad. Russia remains the top destination for labor migration from Kyrgyzstan. In March, 474,000 Kyrgyz citizens worked there, followed by 70,000 in Kazakhstan, 60,000 in the U.S., 35,000 in Turkey and 20,000 in Germany.