THE TRANSFORMATION OF LABOR MIGRATION IN CENTRAL ASIA

Abstract

This article examines the main trends and specific features
of the transformation of labor migration processes in the countries of Central
Asia over the past decade. The topic of labor migration is explored through
the prism of complex socio-economic, institutional, and demographic
transformations taking place both within the regional space and in a broader
international context. The authors pay particular attention to changes that
affect the scale, direction, and structure of migration flows, including
political decisions, economic crises, demographic pressure, and emerging
opportunities in destination countries.
The methodological basis of the study is E. Lee’s “push–pull” model,
which makes it possible to systematize the factors shaping migration
movements. Within this framework, the key “push” factors are identified,
such as lack of employment opportunities, low wages, and limited conditions
for professional development in labor-supplying countries. The “pull”
factors include economic growth, higher remuneration, availability of social
guarantees, as well as cultural and linguistic affinity between the countries of
the region and receiving states.
The results of the analysis indicate that labor migration in the countries
of Central Asia under current conditions is a phenomenon far more complex
than merely the movement of workers in pursuit of income. It has become a
multi-level process affecting social structures, contributing to the formation
and strengthening of social capital, development of transnational networks of
interaction, and creation of prerequisites for long-term regional stability.