Tajik citizens will be allowed to travel abroad for work only after reaching the age of 18. The requirement is enshrined in law for the first time in the new Law on Migration, published on October 23 in the parliamentary newspaper Sadoi Mardum.
The law was signed by Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon on October 21. It replaces the previous Law on Migration, which had been in force since 1999.
The previous legislation did not establish a separate minimum age for labor migrants.
Under Article 16 of the new law, Tajik citizens may engage in labor migration only from the age of 18 and only in countries where migrants’ rights and legitimate interests are protected.
Such protection may be based, in particular, on international agreements and bilateral treaties between Tajikistan and destination countries in the field of labor migration.
The same age restriction applies to foreign nationals coming to Tajikistan for work: they, too, may engage in labor migration only from the age of 18.
Work can be found independently or through agencies
The new law provides for two main ways for Tajik citizens to find employment abroad: searching for jobs independently or using recruitment agencies and other organizations authorized to place citizens in jobs overseas.
For those seeking work independently, the authorized state body responsible for migration must provide the necessary information free of charge.
This includes information on job vacancies, wages, working conditions, employer requirements, and the laws and regulations of the destination country.
The law does not prohibit citizens from finding employers abroad on their own. Instead, it provides for access to official employment information before departure.
State to help repatriate bodies of citizens who die abroad
The new law also establishes, for the first time, a legal obligation for state bodies to assist in returning the bodies of Tajik citizens who die abroad.
Under Article 35, this responsibility rests with the authorized state body responsible for foreign policy, as well as Tajikistan’s diplomatic missions and consular offices overseas.
The 1999 law contained no separate provision requiring assistance with the repatriation of deceased citizens.
In practice, the bodies of Tajik citizens who die abroad, particularly labor migrants in Russia, have been brought back to Tajikistan for many years. The national carrier Somon Air, for example, transports coffins containing the remains of Tajik citizens free of charge.
According to the authorities, the bodies of 13 Tajik citizens were brought from Russia through Kulob International Airport in the first six months of 2026 alone.
No comprehensive public statistics covering all the country’s airports and land border crossings for that period are available.
Every year, the bodies of dozens of Tajik citizens are repatriated from abroad. Many are labor migrants who died in Russia.
Reported causes of death in various years have included workplace and construction accidents, illnesses, road traffic accidents and crimes.
Russia remains the main destination
Russia remains the primary destination for labor migrants from Tajikistan.
According to official data, more than 702,000 Tajik citizens traveled abroad for work in 2025.
Labor migration continues to play a significant role in Tajikistan’s economy. According to the World Bank, remittances accounted for approximately 45% of the country’s gross domestic product in 2024.
For many families, money sent home by relatives working abroad remains one of their main sources of income.