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The Migration Agency under the Government of Uzbekistan has proposed that its vocational colleges train specialists specifically for employment with Swedish firms. The initiative was discussed during a bilateral meeting of officials in Stockholm, according to the Central Asian republic's agency press service.
The Uzbek delegation outlined its existing workforce training system, noting that 643 technical vocational colleges currently operate in the republic, enrolling roughly 500,000 students across more than 350 trades.
Against this backdrop, officials presented the preparation of prospective personnel for Sweden directly within Uzbek educational institutions as a pragmatic solution. Plans include developing a targeted curriculum and introducing Swedish language instruction. Agency representatives also noted that European experts could be invited to assess graduates' practical skills.
In addition, the Uzbek side proposed setting up a Swedish language testing center in Uzbekistan—a step intended to expand organized labor migration flows to the Scandinavian nation.
The talks focused heavily on launching an 18-month pilot partnership program for migration and mobility. Leadership at the Swedish Migration Agency stressed that the project represents a new format of interagency engagement, designed for phased implementation with intermediate reviews.
Swedish officials briefed their counterparts on the country's labor migration framework, explaining that employer demand remains the primary benchmark for hiring foreign talent.
According to Swedish authorities, the country granted roughly 30,000 work permits to foreign nationals last year. Key high-demand sectors include information technology, software development, engineering, and technical trades.
Uzbekistan affirmed its readiness to run tailored training programs structured around Swedish regulatory standards and the demands of specific employers.
Negotiators also addressed ways to increase transparency in work permit processing, curb fraudulent intermediaries, and provide prospective workers with reliable information regarding employment conditions in Sweden.
In August, the Migration Agency reported that approximately 1.4 million Uzbek citizens were working abroad, with the vast majority—over 834,000—located in Russia. Other leading destinations included Kazakhstan, Turkey, and South Korea.
At the same time, officials highlighted a notable diversification of migration corridors. The share of Uzbek workers bound for CIS nations fell by 29%, while the number working in Europe surged by 42% and in East Asian countries by 26%. The shift is partly driven by Russian authorities tightening residency rules, increasing permit fees, and restricting the occupations open to migrant workers in recent years.
