RYAZANTSEV S.V., KURYLEV K.P., RAKHMONOV A.KH., RAKHIMOV K.KH., CHUPIN A.L. Trends and Prospects of Labor Migration from Central Asian Countries to the United Kingdom

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15688/jvolsu4.2025.4.18

Sergey V. Ryazantsev,

Doctor of Sciences (Economics), Professor, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor, Department of International Economic Relations, RUDN University, Miklukho-Maklaya St, 6, 117198 Moscow, Russian Federation; Professor, Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, 73170 Nakhon Pathom, Thailand,

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https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5306-8875

Konstantin P. Kurylev,

Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor, Head of the Department of Theory and History of International Relations, RUDN University, Miklukho-Maklaya St, 6, 117198 Moscow, Russian Federation,

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https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3075-915X

Abubakr Kh. Rakhmonov,

Candidate of Sciences (Economics), Senior Researcher, Institute for Demographic Research of the Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Fotieva St, 6, 119333 Moscow, Russian Federation,

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https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9924-5857

Komron Kh. Rakhimov,

Candidate of Sciences (History), Senior Lecturer, Department of Theory and History of International Relations, RUDN University, Miklukho-Maklaya St, 6, 117198 Moscow, Russian Federation,

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https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2771-1817

Alexander L. Chupin,

Candidate of Sciences (Economics), Deputy Dean for Research, Faculty of Economics, RUDN University, Miklukho-Maklaya St, 6, 117198 Moscow, Russian Federation,

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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0804-8039


Abstract. Introduction. Among European countries, the UK is experiencing one of the most acute labor shortages, especially in labor-intensive and low-prestige sectors such as agriculture. Following Brexit, the UK was compelled to expand the geography of labor recruitment beyond the traditional pool of Eastern European seasonal workers (Poland, the Baltics, Bulgaria, and Ukraine) to include Central Asian countries. This article aims to identify the trends and prospects of labor emigration from Central Asian countries to the UK within the context of growing political and economic competition among key actors in the region. Methods and materials. The study combines analytical, statistical, and sociological approaches. It draws on World Bank and IOM datasets on labor migration and remittances, complemented by thematic content analysis of Russian and British media and expert interviews. Official documents from government agencies, embassies, recruitment agencies, and migrant training centers are also examined. Analysis. The analysis covers the scale, drivers, and channels of emigration from Central Asia to the UK, the participation of Central Asian workers in the British labor market, and the prospects for seasonal migration. Results. The results show that labor shortages in the UK labor market are the primary driver of migration from Central Asia. The reorientation of migration flows from the Russian direction is explained by the economic downturn in Russia, the tightening of migration legislation and the spread of English among young people in Central Asian countries. Since 2021, there has been an increase in seasonal migration of low-skilled workers, primarily through public and private recruitment agencies. Authors’ contribution. S.V. Ryazantsev – research concept and economic analysis of labor migration; K.P. Kurylev – political aspects and international relations; A.Kh. Rakhmonov – social consequences and interview analysis; K.Kh. Rakhimov – historical context and geopolitical factors of migration; A.L. Chupin – statistical analysis and policy recommendations on migration.

Key words: labor migration, seasonal migration, Central Asian countries, UK, recruitment agencies, migration service, working conditions, adaptation, Tajik migrants.

Citation. Ryazantsev S.V., Kurylev K.P., Rakhmonov A.Kh., Rakhimov K.Kh., Chupin A.L. Trends and Prospects of Labor Migration from Central Asian Countries to the United Kingdom. Vestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya 4. Istoriya. Regionovedenie. Mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya [Science Journal of Volgograd State University. History. Area Studies. International Relations], 2025, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 210-222. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15688/jvolsu4.2025.4.18.

Лицензия Creative Commons

Trends and Prospects of Labor Migration from Central Asian Countries to the United Kingdom by Ryazantsev S.V., Kurylev K.P., Rakhmonov A.Kh., Rakhimov K.Kh., Chupin A.L. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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