MINSK, November 2. /Dunyo IA/. The House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus unanimously adopted a bill ratifying an agreement with Uzbekistan regulating the organized recruitment of Uzbek citizens for temporary employment in Belarus, reports a Dunyo IA correspondent.

The deputies also ratified a protocol amending and supplementing the intergovernmental agreement on mutual travel by citizens, dated January 19, 2025. The protocol provides for simplified conditions of stay for citizens of the two countries in each other’s territory.

The agreement was signed on July 8–9 in Minsk during the visit of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. It aims to establish a legal framework for the safe and lawful employment of Uzbek citizens in Belarus.

Presenting the bill, Belarusian Minister of Labour and Social Protection Andrei Lobovich noted the high demand for labour in the country. According to him, the unemployment rate stands at 1.9 percent, while the employment rate is 85.3 percent. At least 130,000 job vacancies have been registered.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus, 4,200 Uzbek citizens arrived in the country during the first nine months of this year. Of these, 1,800 are employed at industrial and construction enterprises.

The agreement provides for a two-stage system for recruiting workers. At the first stage, Uzbekistan’s Migration Agency will select candidates based on their qualifications, professional experience, and the requirements of Belarusian employers, while also coordinating their engagement with prospective employers.

Candidates will undergo preparatory training and receive information about working conditions, daily life, customs, and traditions in Belarus. Mandatory medical examinations will also be conducted, along with checks for any restrictions on leaving Uzbekistan or entering Belarus.

At the second stage, employers in Belarus will arrange migration registration for arriving workers and ensure that the necessary documents are processed. Once employment contracts have been signed, Uzbek citizens will be able to officially begin work.

Social protection, wages, working conditions and occupational safety, taxation, and medical insurance for Uzbek workers will be governed by Belarusian legislation. The agreement also identifies the authorized bodies of both countries and defines their respective responsibilities for implementing its provisions.

In addition, the deputies ratified a protocol introducing amendments and additions to the agreement between the governments of Uzbekistan and Belarus on mutual travel by citizens, dated January 19, 2025.

Signed on July 9, the protocol simplifies the conditions of stay for citizens of the two countries in each other’s territory. In particular, it allows them to stay for up to 10 days without registering with the competent authorities.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus Pavel Utyupin and Yekaterina Serafinovich, a member of the Standing Commission on International Affairs of the House of Representatives, addressed the parliamentary session on both documents.

The ratified agreements are aimed at developing labour migration and expanding cooperation between the two countries in tourism and other social areas.