Your Trusted Partner for Recruitment in Uzbekistan

To better fulfill your recruitment needs, we at Remote People are here to help you find top talent in Uzbekistan more effectively than recruiting on your own. Our team understands the local language, customs, and the intricacies of the Uzbeks talent market, giving you a significant advantage in securing the right candidates.

We know where to advertise your job openings to ensure maximum exposure and attract the best talent. Additionally, we assist in designing competitive, locally-appropriate compensation packages that not only appeal to top candidates but also help you optimize costs. 

Get in touch with us to navigate Uzbekistan‘s recruitment landscape with confidence and ease.

Uzbekistan is one of Central Asia’s most attractive new growing markets for expanding your business and recruiting. In 2024, Uzbekistan’s GDP growth was 6.5%, mainly due to its government’s intentional focus on increasing the capabilities of targeted economic sectors, particularly industry and construction. In light of this solid financial performance, the recruitment market in Uzbekistan is thriving.

The employment agency business in Uzbekistan has developed over the years in connection with the reforms and modernization of the national economy. The GDP was $115 billion in 2024, of which the services sector’s share was 47.4% and industry 26.4%. 

This growth and diversification of the national economy have created demand for qualified workers in various fields, from traditional areas such as agriculture, manufacturing, and mining to new industries such as technology, finance, and professional services.

Recruitment Services in Uzbekistan

Executive Search in Uzbekistan

Executive search in Uzbekistan includes executive and leadership searches, as well as a special type of search focused on acquiring talent for highly skilled executives. Executive search firms also provide specialized executive recruitment services, finding talent for various management roles and professional senior executives.

Headhunters typically have a very strong professional network, which can be leveraged to identify strong leadership talent currently possessing top management roles in other areas or professionals who would be very capable of filling executive and leadership roles.

Recruiting Expats in Uzbekistan

Employers in Uzbekistan must strictly adhere to the country’s immigration regulations when hiring foreign nationals. A Corporate Work License is needed before a company can legally employ foreign nationals, and each international employee must hold an Individual Work Permit, typically valid for up to 1 year and extendable. Foreign workers must apply for work visas from outside Uzbekistan (tourist visas cannot be changed to work visas).

Every foreign national needs a work visa to work legally in Uzbekistan. On arrival, all foreign nationals must register their place of residence within 3 days. Foreign employees are only permitted to work for the company that issued the work permit and are only allowed to work in the job position stated on that permit. As such, foreign nationals who change jobs must have their work permit application reprocessed. In addition, the company seeking to hire a foreign national must demonstrate that there were no suitable local candidates for the position.

Remote People will guide your company through this process, from obtaining licenses, work permits, and visas to residence registration and ongoing compliance with Uzbekistan’s laws.

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Overview of Uzbekistan's Workforce

As of late 2024, Uzbekistan’s labor force was roughly 13.97 million. It has a 99% literacy rate and a good education base. Uzbekistan has over 200 universities and a large teaching workforce.

Top job sectors are agriculture, manufacturing (textiles, food, and chemicals), mining and energy, construction, and service jobs (finance, telecoms, and tourism).

The labor market generates about 300,000 new jobs each year. The unemployment rate will be 4.5% in 2024. Skilled talent demand is growing in the tech, finance, and professional services sectors, while traditional industries continue to employ a significant share of the workforce.

Overview of Uzbekistan's Recruitment Landscape

Uzbekistan’s recruitment sector is rapidly expanding to match the growth of the national economy. Local and international recruitment agencies are active in the market, with hh.uz, one of the leading platforms, reporting 130,000 job vacancies in 2024, a 28% increase from 2023.

Competition is especially high in recruitment and hiring, with an average of 14 candidates competing for every available vacancy. Still, the competition pressure can be much higher in specific industries, such as IT. Demand is robust in sales, marketing, insurance, mining, energy, construction, and technology sectors, where employers are fighting for talent.

The intense competition for employees in the country makes recruitment agencies that can filter through the crowded labor market to source the top talent increasingly important.

Recruitment Season in Uzbekistan

Hiring trends in Uzbekistan are seasonal and primarily based on budgets, hiring cycles in educational institutions, and recruitment cycles within specific industries. The first half of the year is busy as employers prepare and plan budgets at the beginning of the year. March–May is a popular time for many organizations to start new projects.

June–August is also an active recruitment period, in line with preparation for autumn business and financial cycles and the arrival of new university graduates. A third peak is observed in September–October, when companies refocus after summer holidays.

Sector-specific seasonal fluctuations in recruitment activity are as follows: agriculture and farming businesses hire before sowing and harvesting; in construction, recruitment is higher in favourable weather conditions; mining and quarrying sectors have more balanced hiring activity during the year.

What Is the Largest Online Recruitment Platform in Uzbekistan?

The most popular commercial local jobs site in Uzbekistan is HeadHunter Uzbekistan (hh.uz), which has many job vacancies in various fields (IT, sales, marketing, administration, and more). Mustakbil is another modern employer platform, featuring auto-generated job descriptions, resume screening, and free job posting with optional upgrades. 

International employment websites such as Expertini, Indeed, and LinkedIn are also available to the Uzbek audience, providing access to international networks and services that connect employers and potential employees.

Laws that Apply to Recruitment in Uzbekistan

Who Can Legally Hire in Uzbekistan?

Only registered legal entities and individual entrepreneurs licensed to hire employees in Uzbekistan can do so. This includes locally incorporated limited liability companies (LLCs), joint-stock companies, representative or branch offices of foreign legal entities, and registered individual entrepreneurs that use a patent or license to conduct business.

Foreign businesses that do not want to create a local legal entity may still hire and pay employees through an Employer of Record (EOR), a legal entity that serves as the local employer of the employee. The foreign company or party is responsible for the day-to-day work of the employee and their role and responsibilities. 

Employers, whether structured as a locally incorporated company or through an Employer of Record, are required to register with the tax authority and the Ministry of Employment. This provides the employees of Uzbekistan with social insurance, tax registration, and contractual protections.

Work Requirements for Employees

The work laws of Uzbekistan do not allow discrimination based on sex (gender), age (for a minor with certain limitations and with provision of special work conditions), or disability status; a worker’s qualification for the position is the only thing that matters. The minimum working age in Uzbekistan is generally 16 years. Labor for younger persons is legally permitted with special protection and with certain restrictions.

Foreign employees must obtain a work permit before they begin work. Employers’ participation in the application process for work permits is often necessary. Necessary documents for any employee are documents of personal identification, documents of education, and (if required by a particular position) health certificates.

Employment Contracts

Employment contracts in Uzbekistan can be for a fixed period of time or for an indefinite period of time. Fixed-term employment contracts cannot exceed a maximum duration (five years). Employment contracts in Uzbekistan for an indefinite period of time do not have a set end date.

The salary in employment contracts must be expressed in Uzbek som (UZS). References to foreign currency in an employment contract or in calculating the salary are possible, but only in specific cases in accordance with applicable regulations.

Benefits to be provided to employees include the payment of social insurance, annual leave, and other benefits. Employers can specify a probation period in employment contracts. The probation period is usually for three months. An employer may terminate an employment contract with a probationer with shorter notice.

Working Hours

In Uzbekistan, the normal work week is limited to 40 hours. It is usually divided into five 8-hour shifts or six 7-hour shifts. On the eve of a public holiday, all workers’ working hours are reduced by at least one hour. This guarantees that the work shifts before the holidays will be shorter.

Overtime is very strictly regulated. Overtime may only be carried out with the consent of the employee. The overtime must not exceed 4 hours over two consecutive days, nor over 120 hours per year. The employer must pay overtime at an increased rate, often double the normal pay. The employee may receive an equivalent period of additional rest.

Minimum Wage

The national minimum wage in Uzbekistan is 1,271,000 UZS. This applies monthly to all sectors for a standard 40-hour workweek.

Annual Leave

Annual paid leave in Uzbekistan is at least 21 calendar days, if the employee is under the age of 18, and employees with a Group I or II disability have 30 calendar days. An employee is entitled to additional annual leave of 2 calendar days for every five years worked with the same employer (maximum of 8 days). Additional annual leave of any duration may be granted to those who work in heavy or hazardous conditions and in difficult climate zones (total annual leave may not exceed 56 calendar days per calendar year).

The right to annual leave is granted after six calendar months of work. Public holidays are not included in the leave days. The leave of an employee who has worked less than a year with an employer is calculated for the time worked in proportion to the established leave. 

At the time of termination of the employment relationship, the employee is entitled to receive compensation in money for unused leave, or they may use the leave right before the termination of the employment relationship.

Sick Leave

Employees in Uzbekistan are entitled to take up to 30 calendar days of paid sick leave per year. A medical commission can grant an additional 30 days. The leave is paid at the rate of 60–80% of average wages. Benefits increase to 100% for work-related illness or injury. 

The benefit is subject to a valid medical certificate. The employer cannot fire an employee during the approved period of sick leave.

Maternity Leave

Women are guaranteed 126 days of maternity leave, 70 days before and 56 days after childbirth. After complicated and multiple births, women have a 70-day postpartum period of leave. During leave, women are paid 75–100% of their average wages through social insurance. 

A mother can also take leave for childcare until a child is 2 years old. The law prohibits firing women during pregnancy and leave.

Benefits of Partnering with a Recruitment Agency in Uzbekistan

Working with a recruitment agency in Uzbekistan simplifies the whole hiring process. The agency has a team of recruiters who understand your work culture and communication style and thus what talent would fit best. The agency also takes care of any legal aspects in terms of labor regulations and paperwork.

Recruitment agencies access a wider talent network, even passive candidates not actively searching for jobs. They help you find the right talent quicker, more efficiently, and without compromising quality.

How to Choose a Uzbekistan Recruitment Agency

In Uzbekistan, several key criteria should be considered when searching for the best recruitment agency. The main factors to consider include:

Reputation and Track Record

Analyze past vacancies filled, client reviews, and market presence.

Industry Expertise

Agencies with sector knowledge understand skill needs, pay levels, and career paths.

Technology and Tools

Strong databases, screening systems, and communication platforms speed up hiring.

Recruit Top Talent in Uzbekistan with Remote People

Remote People offers end-to-end recruiting services in Uzbekistan with global capabilities and deep local expertise. We support hiring at any level, from entry-level roles to top executives, through executive search, compliance support, and visa/work permit services. 

We also provide EOR services in Uzbekistan. With powerful technology and a wide talent network, Remote People empowers you to hire rapidly, compliantly, and effectively in Uzbekistan.

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Recruit Top Talent in Uzbekistan with Remote People

Ready to expand in Uzbekistan? remote people can connect you with skilled local talent. Contact us today to discuss your hiring needs and reach your recruitment objectives.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Only a registered legal entity or individual entrepreneur in Uzbekistan can directly hire employees. Foreign businesses can use an EOR service that legally employs staff on behalf of a foreign company as an alternative.

The employer must have a Corporate Work License. Each foreign employee must have an Individual Work Permit (valid for up to 1 year) and a work visa. The employee must register their place of residence within 3 days of arrival.

Employees are entitled to 21 days of paid leave. Those under 18 or with Group I/II disability are entitled to 30 days. Additional leave may be granted for long service, hazardous work, and adverse climate conditions (up to 56 days).