Work Permit in Uzbekistan for Foreign Employees
A foreign specialist should not start working in Uzbekistan solely on the basis of an employment contract signed with a local company.
For most foreign nationals temporarily staying in Uzbekistan, the employer and employee should first determine the applicable immigration regime and obtain the required confirmation of the right to carry out employment activities in the Republic of Uzbekistan. This is the official terminology currently used in Uzbekistan’s public-service system.
When hiring a foreign executive or specialist, a company should coordinate several processes at the same time: the legal basis for employment, the employment contract, the applicable visa and the employee’s lawful stay in Uzbekistan.
What Is a “Work Permit” in Uzbekistan?
In business practice, the term work permit in Uzbekistan is commonly used. Formally, however, the relevant government service is described as obtaining confirmation of a foreign national’s right to carry out employment activities in the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The principal rules governing this procedure are established by Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 86 dated 22 February 2022, which regulates certain licensing and authorisation procedures through a special electronic system. Uzbekistan’s Government Portal refers to this regulation as the applicable legal basis for the procedure.
The immigration administration system was also amended in 2026. Under Presidential Resolution No. PP-14 dated 19 January 2026, authority to issue confirmations of foreign nationals’ right to work was additionally granted to the Migration and Personalisation Department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and its territorial divisions.
What Documents Are Required?
According to Uzbekistan’s Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services, the following documents are generally required to obtain confirmation of the right to work:
- an electronic copy of the foreign national’s passport;
- a draft employment contract with the employer, specifying the employment conditions and salary;
- an electronic 3 × 4 cm photograph;
- documents confirming the foreign specialist’s qualifications;
- for nationals of countries subject to visa requirements, a copy of the relevant entry visa.
This means that the immigration process should preferably be addressed before the foreign employee actually starts work in Uzbekistan.
At the application stage, the principal terms of the future employment relationship — including the position and remuneration — already need to be determined.
How Long Does It Take to Obtain a Work Permit in Uzbekistan?
The Unified Portal indicates that the government service may take up to 15 business days.
The application is submitted electronically. The competent authority then assesses whether the foreign national may be employed, including by taking into account the availability of local workers for the relevant vacancy.
Companies should therefore avoid assuming that a foreign executive or specialist will be able to arrive in Uzbekistan and begin working legally within only a few days.
When planning the relocation of a director, technical specialist or other foreign employee, businesses should allow sufficient time for both employment and immigration procedures.
Special Rules for Qualified and Highly Qualified Specialists
Uzbek law provides special rules for certain categories of qualified and highly qualified foreign specialists.
Under the special regime, a highly qualified specialist is a foreign national who satisfies the applicable education and professional-experience requirements and receives remuneration of at least the equivalent of USD 60,000 per year.
A qualified specialist is generally required to have higher education, at least five years of relevant professional experience and remuneration of at least the equivalent of USD 30,000 per year.
A simplified regime applies to these categories.
The employer does not require a separate permit to attract foreign labour, although the individual foreign specialist must still obtain confirmation of their right to carry out employment activities in Uzbekistan.
For qualified and highly qualified specialists, such confirmation may, at the applicant’s request, be issued for a period of up to three years and subsequently renewed, each time for a further period of no more than three years.
These specialists may also work for an additional employer on a secondary-employment basis without obtaining a separate confirmation for the second job.
What Happens if the Foreign Employee Changes Employer?
Special rules also apply when qualified or highly qualified specialists terminate their employment early.
After termination of the employment contract, they may search for a new employer for up to 30 business days.
During this period, their existing work confirmations, visas and, where applicable, residence permits remain valid.
For other categories of foreign employees, companies should not assume that an existing Uzbekistan work permit automatically allows the individual to move freely to another employer.
When changing employers, the foreign national’s immigration status and legal basis for the new employment should therefore be reviewed separately.
A Work Permit and a Visa Are Not the Same Thing
The right to work in Uzbekistan should be distinguished from the right to enter and remain in the country.
Foreign nationals from countries subject to visa requirements must also consider the appropriate visa category. When applying for confirmation of the right to work, the Unified Portal requires nationals of visa-regime countries to provide a copy of the applicable entry visa.
Qualified and highly qualified foreign specialists may be eligible for a multiple-entry work visa issued for the term of their employment contract, but for no more than three years. The visa may also be extended within Uzbekistan, subject to the applicable legal requirements.
For companies relocating a foreign executive or specialist, it is therefore useful to prepare a complete immigration roadmap for Uzbekistan covering:
entry into Uzbekistan → registration of stay → right to work → employment documentation → subsequent renewals
This helps ensure that the employee’s immigration status and employment arrangements remain consistent.
Not Every Foreign National Follows the Same Procedure
The general rules contain a number of exceptions and special regimes.
For example, a special arrangement applies to certain foreign investors.
A foreign national who has invested in Uzbekistan at least the threshold established by law — 8,500 basic calculation units through the acquisition of shares or participatory interests in companies or through the establishment of a foreign enterprise — may work in any position in the relevant organisation without undergoing the standard authorisation procedures.
Other exemptions or special procedures may depend on the foreign national’s status, the type of organisation involved or an applicable international agreement.
For this reason, before applying for a work permit for a foreign employee in Uzbekistan, it is advisable to determine which legal category applies to the particular employee.
What Should a Company Check Before Hiring a Foreign Employee?
Before finalising the employment documentation, the employer should determine:
- the employee’s nationality and applicable visa regime;
- the proposed position;
- the amount of remuneration;
- whether the employee satisfies any applicable qualification requirements;
- the expected duration of employment;
- whether confirmation of the right to work is required.
If the employee may qualify as a qualified or highly qualified specialist, the availability of the special regime should be reviewed separately.
It is particularly important for the immigration documents and the employment contract to be consistent.
The employee’s position, employer, duration of work and other material terms should correspond to the information used when obtaining the right to work in Uzbekistan.
For international companies hiring foreign employees in Uzbekistan, reviewing these issues before relocation can help avoid delays between the employee’s arrival and the date on which they are legally able to start work.
LOYAL advises local and international companies on employment and immigration matters in Uzbekistan, including the hiring and relocation of foreign executives and specialists, identification of the applicable immigration regime, preparation of documents, obtaining the right to work and related corporate and employment-law matters.
Sources
- Government Portal of the Republic of Uzbekistan — confirmation of the right of foreign nationals to carry out employment activities.
- Unified Portal of Interactive Public Services — procedure, documents and processing period for obtaining confirmation.
- Presidential Resolution No. PP-4008 — rules applicable to qualified and highly qualified foreign specialists.
- Presidential Resolution No. PP-14 dated 19 January 2026 — amendments to immigration administration and authority to issue confirmations of the right to work.
