This article indicates how legal labor migration mechanisms can influence and contribute to prevention of crimes in both migrant - sending and receiving countries. Using a socio - legal framework, we analyze migration trends, remittance flows, irregular migration statistics, and labor migration policies in Uzbekistan namely and compare them with other post - Soviet states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Georgia).

According to above - mentioned, our findings indicate that well - regulated labor migration can act as a “reliable tool” for sending countries to reduce unemployment and poverty (thereby mitigating crime drivers), while also decreasing irregular migration and associated criminal activities such as human trafficking, smuggling and etc.  

Comparative insights show similar trends across the region: states with more fixed legal frameworks and regional mobility regimes tend to indicate lower levels of irregular migration, reduced tendency to transnational and (national) criminality, and greater stability in migrant - sending communities.

Labor law, migration, law

External labor migration as one of the key sources of economic development of Uzbekistan - Генеральное консульство Республики Узбекистан в городе Актау. https://uzconsulate - aktau.kz/en/2025/external - labor - migration - as - one - of - the - key - sources - of - economic - development - of - uzbekistan/

Uzbekistan: Striving to improve conditions for labor migrants | Eurasianet. https://eurasianet.org/uzbekistan - striving - to - improve - conditions - for - labor - migrants

Tajikistan: migrations as a ‘safety valve’ | OSW Centre for Eastern Studies. https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2024 - 06 - 05/tajikistan - migrations - a - safety - valve

Uzbekistan - Migration Situation Report (Apr - June 2025).pdf. file://file_0000000058b071f4b4e0878149c73fc6

undesa_pd_2025_intlmigstock_2024_key_facts_and_figures_advance - unedited.pdf. file://file_0000000057c071f4b1534ab09593a357

Remittances and the Impact on Crime in Mexico. https://publications.iadb.org/en/remittances - and - impact - crime - mexico

Uzbekistan, Russia sign agreement on organized recruitment of labor migrants from Uzbekistan. https://kun.uz/en/news/2021/10/27/uzbekistan - russia - sign - agreement - on - organized - recruitment - of - labor - migrants - from - uzbekistan

LABOUR MIGRATION IN UZBEKISTAN: SOCIAL, LEGAL AND… https://files.acquia.undp.org/public/migration/uz/un_uzb_Labour_Migration_in_Uzbekistan_eng.pdf

Kyrgyzstan Reports Growing Return Migration - The Times Of Central Asia. https://timesca.com/kyrgyzstan - reports - growing - return - migration/

Kazakhstan: Forced Returns to Uzbekistan Illegal https://www.hrw.org/news/

/06/10/kazakhstan - forced - returns - uzbekistan - illegal

2024 - 06 - 28_Policy_Brief_EN.indd. https://www.icmpd.org/file/download/

/file/2024 - 06 - 28_Policy_Brief_EN_Print.pdf

New mechanisms for regulating external labor migration in Uzbekistan. https://longreads.cabar.asia/labour_m_uz_en

Parliamentary question | Possibility of suspending visa - free travel for Georgian citizens because of the threat from organised crime | E - 001874/2025 | European Parliament. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E - 10 - 2025 - 001874_EN.html

Remittances Bolster - and Limit - Armenia's Potential. https://reason.com/2021/11/04/remittances - bolster - and - limit - armenias - potential/

2025 Trafficking in Persons Report: Uzbekistan - State Department. https://www.state.gov/reports/2025 - trafficking - in - persons - report/uzbekistan

CIS Countries: Among the World's Top Remittance Recipients. https://www.ogresearch.com/news/cis - countries - among - the - worlds - top - remittance - recipients