June 16 marks the International Day of Family Remittances.  For modern Tajikistan and its citizens, migration and earnings abroad play a crucial role in the country’s development and in sustaining household livelihoods. Tajikistan is one of the most remittance-dependent countries in the world.

The Role of Labor Migrants’ Remittances in the Modern World

With the development of globalization, the movement of goods, people, and capital has become easier. Labor migration and remittances have become an integral part of the global community’s life today. The formation of a global economy has led to the development and deepening of international labor division and the complementarity of national economies. The latter implies dependence on resources that are unevenly distributed.

One of the most crucial resources is undoubtedly labor, especially cheap labor. Some countries possess enormous potential for cheap labor but lack the necessary resources and capital to utilize it locally, which leads to a significant part of the population migrating abroad for work.

According to the United Nations, the number of migrants worldwide reached 284.5 million in 2022, of which 167.7 million, or 66%, were labor migrants. The share of labor migration that year accounted for 4.7% of the global workforce.

Regarding labor migrants’ remittances, according to the World Bank, in 2024 they reached 905 billion US dollars, which is nearly 1% of the world GDP, increasing by 4.6% compared to 2023 (865 billion dollars).

It is also important to emphasize that the main recipients of these remittances were countries with low and middle incomes, where the total amount of remittances reached 685 billion dollars or 75% of the total.

Labor migrants’ remittances in these countries exceeded the volume of direct foreign investments and official aid combined. This underscores the exceptional role of migrants’ remittances in the socio-economic and socio-political life of these states.

Among this category of countries, Tajikistan ranked first in 2024 in terms of the share of migrants’ remittances relative to the country’s GDP, which reached 45%.

What Problems Do Remittances from Tajik Migrants Solve?

Remittances from Tajik migrants play an exceptional social role by addressing the following issues:

• Maintaining the livelihoods of the Tajik population and reducing poverty
• Ensuring social stability
• Supporting the external balance of payments

Remittances help cover the basic needs of millions of people, such as purchasing food, paying for housing, clothing, and household necessities, covering healthcare and education expenses, buying real estate, and repaying debts.

According to a survey conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Tajikistan, 86% of respondents said the primary reason for remittances was "supporting family, relatives, or friends to cover basic living expenses," 4% cited "supporting family, relatives, or friends in purchasing real estate," and 5% answered "to repay debts."

Data from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development shows that up to 30% of household income in Tajikistan is formed by remittances. Of this amount, about 80% is spent on food, and another 7–10% goes toward healthcare, housing, and education.

To illustrate the impact of migrants' remittances on the population, let us consider a study on the consequences of the 2008–2009 global financial crisis on the lives of Tajik citizens. The crisis led to a reduction in labor migration, income decline, and a deterioration in living standards.

During that time, 93% of surveyed households reported worsening social indicators. The number of households facing difficulties in purchasing basic food doubled, and 87% reported a decrease in income received through remittances.

More than 58% of household members who needed medical care did not seek it and resorted to ineffective traditional treatment methods. Additionally, 25–30% faced difficulties paying for education, which prevented them from continuing their studies.

In this context, it is important to highlight the key role of remittances in covering the population’s expenses and reducing poverty in the country.

According to World Bank data, poverty in Tajikistan decreased by 40% between 2003 and 2009, of which 12% was attributed to remittances.

All this leads us to the following conclusion, namely the issue of ensuring social stability. The export of surplus labor resources to external labor markets contributes to reducing social tensions.

According to data from the Ministry of Labor, Migration, and Employment of the Republic of Tajikistan, the working-age population in the country amounts to 5,805,000 people, or more than 56% of the total population. Taking into account these figures and data from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs as of September 1, 2024, which reports that 1.231 million Tajik citizens are present in Russia, it can be said that approximately 20% of Tajikistan’s working-age population is currently in Russia — the primary destination for labor migrants.

Remittances also address the country’s external balance of payments problem, which is particularly critical today. In 2024, Tajikistan’s exports amounted to 1.947 billion USD, which is 20.5% less than in 2023. At the same time, imports reached 7.9 billion USD, increasing by 17.3% compared to 2023.

This indicates that Tajikistan’s foreign trade involves higher costs than revenues, with the difference amounting to nearly one-quarter. In this situation, remittances help cover expenses for a significant portion of imported goods. According to the World Bank, in 2024, remittances from Tajik migrants totaled 5.8 billion USD, or nearly three-quarters of the country’s imports. In other words, migrant remittances help balance the country’s foreign trade deficit.

Thus, remittances solve critical social problems in Tajikistan.

The Problem of Diversifying Tajik Labor Migration

In its 2024 report, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Tajikistan, emphasizing the impact of the tragic events at “Crocus City Hall” on labor migration of Tajik citizens, states:

“This crisis (the events at ‘Crocus City Hall’ — author’s note) highlighted the urgent need to strengthen mechanisms for protecting migrants, while simultaneously accelerating Tajikistan’s efforts to diversify labor migration destinations beyond the Russian Federation. Developing alternative migration routes could enhance economic resilience by reducing dependence on a single labor market and protecting migrants from geopolitical shocks.”

The issue of diversifying labor migration in Tajikistan is very relevant today.
This is due not only to the risks associated with dependence on the Russian labor market but also to the intensification of globalization processes in Central Asia and the deepening integration of the Republic of Tajikistan into the global economy.

This raises the question of prospects for other labor markets (besides Russia) for Tajik citizens. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Tajikistan, the main destinations for labor migration among Tajik citizens are: Russia, where 274,740 people emigrated last year, accounting for about 97% of the total; the USA – 2,274 people, or about 1%; Europe – 2,064 people, or about 1%; Kazakhstan – 1,476 people, just under 1%; Germany – 585 people, and others.

The question naturally arises: why do these numbers look like this?  Let us try to analyze this based on two points.
The first concerns the experience of Tajik labor migration to other, non-Russian labor markets, using the European Union as an example. According to Eurostat, more than 5,000 Tajik citizens emigrated to the EU in 2023.

In the same year, the number of valid residence permits held by Tajik citizens (i.e., legally residing) in EU countries amounted to 18,684 people, while the number of irregular (undocumented) residents was 1,380. In other words, in 2023, there were about 20,000 Tajik migrants residing in the EU legally or illegally. Among them, 10,715 people received residence permits for employment purposes.

Thus, the capacity of the EU labor market for Tajik labor migrants is about 10,000 people.

There are several reasons for this, including the skill level of Tajik migrants and cultural factors. However, the main reason is most likely related to the international division of labor in migration. Simply put, this means that each region has its own specifics regarding immigration processes.

To give an example regarding Europe, it is important to note migration within the EU itself, as well as immigration from countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, most of whom are refugees.

As of mid-2024, there were 94.1 million migrants in the EU, among whom 48% were internally displaced EU citizens (mainly from Eastern and Southern Europe), while 21% came from Asia (mostly Syrians, Afghans, Turks, Pakistanis), 11% from Africa, and 7% from Latin America.

Thus, we can see that Europe presents limited opportunities for Tajik migrants due to the reasons mentioned above. In contrast, Russia remains the main destination for Tajik labor migrants due to geographic proximity, relative cultural closeness (linked to recent historical ties), economic interdependence, and the specific nature of immigration processes in the Russian Federation.

According to data from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, as of September 1, 2024, there were 6.174 million foreign nationals residing in the country.

The main region from which migrants come to Russia is the CIS. The number of migrants from Central Asia alone amounted to 3.985 million, or two-thirds of the total number. Of the 568.5 thousand people who constituted the migration growth in Russia in 2024, citizens of Tajikistan made up 128 thousand people, ranking first.

From these data, we can conclude that Russia, for the reasons mentioned above, is and will remain the main destination for Tajik labor migration in the future. Diversification will, of course, expand, but at least in the near future, no radical changes are expected.

The contribution of tajik migrants to the development of the country was also emphasized by the IOM Chief of Mission in Tajikistan Victor Lutenco:

“In 2024, migrants sent 5.8 billion dollars to Tajikistan — that’s 16 million dollars every day. Behind these figures are laden tables, tuition payments, and launched businesses. Behind these figures is the sustainable development of the country. Migrants are not just money senders; they are the driving force of Tajikistan’s economy and development.”
— Victor Lutenco,  IOM Chief of Mission in Tajikistan

Why do citizens of Tajikistan migrate even with job creation in the country?

An important issue related to migrant remittances is the creation of jobs and employment in the homeland. According to government statistics, the growth in created jobs in Tajikistan matches the population growth.

According to data from the Agency on Statistics under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan for the past decade 2015–2024, 1.9 million jobs were created in the country, or about 190 thousand annually. Meanwhile, the population increase over the same period amounted to 1.951 million people, or about 195 thousand annually. Thus, the number of jobs is growing at the same rate as the population, and it would seem that the need for migration should disappear.

However, there are two important points, the clarification of which can make the picture clearer. It should be emphasized that out of the 247 thousand new jobs created in 2024, only 74 thousand were permanent jobs. Moreover, 142.4 thousand, or more than 57%, were in household management.

In other words, the number of jobs that provide confidence in the future with any real guarantees of permanence is not very large.

Another important aspect is income. According to the Ministry of Labor, Migration and Employment, as of June 1, 2024, the average salary in the country was 2,148.98 somoni, or about 200 dollars.

Considering that the average household size in Tajikistan is about 6.3 people, and that expenses per person exceed income (in 2022, expenses were 855 somoni compared to 755 somoni in income), one can conclude that salaries in Tajikistan do not allow households to maintain a decent standard of living.

It is also relevant to cite a survey conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) among respondents in Tajikistan regarding migrants’ incomes at home and abroad.

As of August and December 2024, the average income for men at home was 191 and 234 dollars respectively, while in migration it was 870 and 875 dollars respectively. For women, the situation was as follows: at home 140 and 154 dollars respectively, and in migration 595 and 679 dollars respectively.

Thus, we see that migration for Tajik citizens is not only attractive but also necessary to sustain the viability of households.

Conclusion
Summing up the article, three main conclusions can be drawn:

• Remittances from labor migrants play an existential role in the development of modern Tajikistan, supporting social and economic stability.
• The Russian Federation remains the primary destination for Tajik labor migration, while diversification to other countries is developing slowly but steadily.
• Job creation within Tajikistan, due to its current lack of competitiveness, cannot yet replace external labor markets.

Finally, I would like to speak not just as an analyst, but as a resident of Tajikistan and a compatriot, to pay tribute to our migrants for their tremendous contribution to our well-being and to encourage others to follow their example. Without exaggeration, they are our benefactors, as demonstrated above through this research. Behind these data and figures stand the simple working hands that hold up our country.