Informal employment to be reduced in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan will take measures to reduce informal employment. This is outlined in the presidential resolution adopted on February 5 this year, titled “On Measures to Increase Household Incomes, Create Sustainable Jobs, and Reduce Poverty in 2026 Through New Approaches to Regional Development.”

According to the resolution, in cases of informal employment identified based on reports from assistant governors, the State Labor Inspectorate will send warning letters to employers through their personal accounts in the Unified National Labor System (IDAK), calling for the elimination of the violations.

If the violations identified by employers are not voluntarily corrected within three working days, this will serve as grounds for inspections by the State Labor Inspectorate at the relevant enterprises and organizations.

Employers will be exempt from administrative liability if, within one month from the date the informal employment is identified, they formalize labor contracts with employees and fully pay the accrued monthly wages.

Starting from March 1, 2026, the following violations will be included as additional criteria that reduce scores in the business stability rating of entrepreneurs:

• Confirmed cases of informal employment.
• The calculation of monthly wages below the minimum wage for employees.

It is worth noting that earlier it was reported that, under the same resolution, subsidies of up to 75 million soums will be allocated to master farmers in Uzbekistan.