Over 60,000 Uzbeks receive Azerbaijani citizenship in the last decade

Uzbek labor migrants are increasingly turning to Azerbaijan as a destination for work and residence, with many bringing their families along. According to the Migranto publication, over the past decade, more than 60,000 Uzbeks have acquired Azerbaijani citizenship.

“Salaries in Baku are 60% higher than in Tashkent, the labor market is open with many job options, and rental prices are cheaper. The mentality of the countries is very similar, so adapting here isn’t difficult,” said Ulugbek, an Uzbek migrant who moved to Baku in 2018 and never returned to Uzbekistan.

Ulugbek, who overcame the language barrier by quickly mastering Azerbaijani, has since married a local Azerbaijani woman and started a family. “Now, I speak Uzbek and Azerbaijani fluently, and I also know Russian. I've lived here for six years, found a good job, got married, and have a son. My wife is local, simple, and modest, which is different from Uzbek women, who tend to demand more,” Ulugbek shared.

Azerbaijan’s low birth rate is a significant factor driving the influx of labor migrants, both men and women, particularly in sectors such as industry and tourism, where there is a shortage of workers.

According to forecasts, by 2030, the number of ethnic Uzbeks in Azerbaijan could rise significantly, potentially making up 3% of the country’s total population.

It is also worth noting that on August 23, 2024, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan signed a Treaty on Allied Relations.