Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan plans to strengthen penalties for employers using illegal labor. Relevant provisions have been established in a presidential decree.

The Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction, the Ministry of Justice, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry have been tasked with preparing and submitting a draft law to the Cabinet of Ministers by August, which will introduce stricter sanctions for such violations.

Under the proposed amendments, the first detected violation related to unofficial employment will incur a fine of 30 sizes of basic estimated value (12.3 million soums), while repeated violations will result in a fine of 100 sizes of basic estimated value (41.2 million soums).

Starting in 2026, construction companies violating rules on the use of illegal labor will have their ratings lowered on the “Transparent Construction” online platform.

Priority tasks for improving labor relations and the vocational training system include forming effective, fair, and mutually beneficial relationships between employers and employees, as well as implementing mechanisms to provide employers with qualified personnel based on their needs.

Additionally, from 1 September 2025, existing requirements that obligated employers to bear administrative responsibility for refusing to hire citizens referred by employment agencies and to submit reports on available vacancies will be abolished.