Tajikistan sets minimum age for labor migration for the first time

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…