An employment program in Belarus, which authorities previously hailed as highly promising, has sparked widespread discontent among its initial participants. Residents of the Andijan province reported facing conditions that failed to match what was promised and recorded a video appeal requesting repatriation to Uzbekistan.
Notably, a group of 255 Andijan residents had recently departed for Belarus's Vitebsk province. During their send-off, officials promised the workers formal employment, stable earnings, decent living conditions, and social guarantees.
However, upon arriving in Belarus, the migrants found that reality fell short of expectations. In videos shared on social media, they showcased the dormitory provided to them. According to the workers, the facilities are substandard and completely different from the conditions described to them before departure.
The salary also proved to be a major disappointment. The migrants claim their monthly earnings amount to around $500, out of which they must cover their own food and daily expenses. By their calculations, they are left with only about $200 after these essential expenditures. The workers argue that staying abroad is simply not worth it for such a low return.
In their video appeal, they requested Andijan Province Governor Shuhrat Abdurahmanov to intervene and arrange their return home.
The Migration Agency informed journalists that the situation is already under control. Representatives from the agency and the Andijan provincial administration are currently on the ground in Belarus, investigating the dynamic between employers and the migrant workers.
The agency noted that the workers were deployed by the Andijan provincial administration as part of a pilot project. Officials stated that if an employer refuses to pay the salary stipulated in the employment contract, or violates other terms of the agreement, the migrants will be offered positions with a different employer. According to the agency, they plan to resolve the issue by the end of the day.
Furthermore, the agency reported that Uzbek investors are currently establishing agricultural farms in Belarus, which are also being considered as potential employment sites for their compatriots. Under the terms of those contracts, the average monthly salary is expected to range between $900 and $1,000, with maximum potential earnings reaching $1,200.
Notably, this program was originally intended to pave the way for the future employment of around 5,000 more Uzbek nationals.
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