According to Zokirdzhon Vazirov, 46% of migrant workers from Tajikistan are employed in the construction business in Russia, 29% in trade and services, 14% constantly change jobs, and only 3% and 2% are employed in education and healthcare, respectively.
Vazirov said Tajik families received an average of $100 a month from their relatives working in Russia.
Russia, which enjoys relative economic stability, has been a major source of income for people in many of the former Soviet republics, particularly in the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Facing an acute demographic crisis, Russia, in turn, is interested in bringing unskilled and skilled workers into its labor force but still needs to establish a sound immigration policy.
Commenting on the choice of Russia as a destination for Tajik labor migrants, Vazirov said: "Tajiks do not regard Russia as a foreign state and do not feel foreign in Russia." He added that Russia offered them a friendly cultural and linguistic environment.
However, labor migrants do encounter a lot of difficulties in Russia, including excessive bureaucratic registration procedures and some recent outbursts of nationalism. Staying illegally in Russia, they face poor work and living conditions and are often underpaid, if paid at all. Labor migrants' plight in Russia has often been highlighted by the media in the Central Asian republics.
Vazirov said Russia and Tajikistan planned to set up a joint employment center in a bid to legalize migrants and protect their rights in Russia.
