Challenges Faced by Central Asian Returnees in Russia
Central Asian Workers Struggle After Being Deported From Russia
Since being deported from Russia last year, Dilfuza Hayitova has been desperately searching for work in her hometown of Termez, Uzbekistan. However, job opportunities are scarce in the country, leaving the single mother to eke out a living by recycling plastic bottles and empty cans, earning just $2.50 a day.
Unable to afford rent, Hayitova relies on her elderly father for shelter. She describes her daily struggle as suffocating, facing constant financial shortages due to the lack of job opportunities in Uzbekistan.
Hayitova is just one of the many Central Asian workers who are grappling with chronic job shortages in their home countries after being deported from Russia. The Russian Interior Ministry reported a significant increase in deportations and entry refusals, targeting Tajik, Uzbek, and Kyrgyz citizens.
Amid an apparent anti-migrant drive following a terrorist attack in Moscow, the number of people denied entry to Russia and deported from the country has surged. The situation has left many Central Asian migrants like Hayitova in a precarious financial situation, with few options for employment in their home countries.
The impact of job shortages is also being felt in Tajikistan, where households depend on remittances from migrants working in Russia. Mirmoh Shamsova, a resident of Dushanbe, has been unable to find work since returning to Tajikistan after losing her job in Russia. The housewife, who supported her family by working various jobs in Russia, highlights the challenges of finding employment back home.
Despite the official unemployment rate in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, many believe that the figures do not accurately reflect the reality on the ground. Workers face low wages, seasonal job opportunities, and widespread bribery when trying to secure employment.
The plight of Central Asian workers facing deportation from Russia underscores the difficult choices they face in search of better opportunities abroad. As tensions persist between migrants and the Russian government, many are left questioning their own governments’ role in addressing the root causes of migration and unemployment.
