The Journey from Moscow to Belgrade
In one of the apartments in Belgrade, migrants from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan live. Halil Kuranbaev, a Kyrgyz who moved here less than a year ago, has already adapted to the new conditions:
“Most newcomers first stay in hostels. Usually, they live there for a few months and then find friends and rent apartments together. The housing problem here is significantly different from the situation in Russia. In Russia, you often see ads where apartments are rented ‘only to Slavs.’ In Serbia, there is no such discrimination. Landlords are usually open and ready for dialogue. The main thing is to behave calmly and not make noise, and everything will be fine.”
Halil also opened a small cafeteria for his compatriots:
“Our cafeteria is on the first floor. On the other floors are apartments and hostels. We rented one of the apartments for the staff. It’s convenient: you go down to work and go up to rest.”
Like many other labor migrants from Central Asia, Halil previously worked in Russia, but constant checks and increasing xenophobia forced him to leave the country.
“In Russia, you always live in fear, not knowing who and when it might affect. Recently, ‘people’s patrols’ appeared there, which check documents along with the police. We decided it was time to leave. Living under such conditions became impossible. It’s safer in Serbia. If you don’t break the law and behave culturally, no one will bother you. I encountered the police several times; they checked documents and politely said goodbye. There was no pressure.”
The Path of Migrants to Serbia
According to the National Statistical Office of Serbia, in July 2025, the average salary was about 150,000 dinars (approximately 1,300 euros), while the minimum was about 53,000 (450 euros).
However, many migrants, especially in the service sector, receive their wages “in an envelope,” which leads to their incomes being lower than official figures.
“It depends on the person. Those who work well can earn up to 2,000 euros a month. In Russia, to earn that much, you have to work around the clock, without days off. Here, everything is different. The process of obtaining documents is also simpler. Citizens of Kyrgyzstan can stay in Serbia for 90 days without a visa. During this time, you can apply for a residence permit. After receiving this permit, you have almost the same rights as local residents. For example, if you get sick, you go to any hospital, show your documents, and they accept you. Everything is legal. You pay taxes, and the state creates conditions.”
Serbia is considered one of the most liberal countries in Europe regarding migration. There is a labor shortage, as many Serbs leave for work in Western Europe. Therefore, the government is implementing an economic migration strategy for 2021–2027 aimed at attracting foreign labor. Although Serbia is not part of the EU, it is located near its borders, which also attracts foreigners.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, thousands of Russians fleeing mobilization have arrived in Belgrade, as Serbia remains one of the few European partners accepting Russian citizens without visas.
They are joined by migrants from Central Asia, who mainly find work in construction, public catering, and the service sector. Although official data on migrants is lacking, in 2024, there were reports from Tashkent of a sharp increase in the number of Uzbeks obtaining visas to Serbia.
Citizens of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan require a visa to enter Serbia, while citizens of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan can stay in the country without a visa for up to 90 days.
The visa-free regime with Kyrgyzstan facilitates the arrival of workers like Shaksultan Kochkorbaev, who works as a cook in Belgrade. Employment agencies actively advertise opportunities in Serbia on social media, he notes.
“The agency organizes a meeting with the employer, and you receive an invitation. Upon arrival, you are placed in a hostel. Most citizens of Kyrgyzstan know little about Serbia and get information from advertisements, most often on Telegram and Instagram,” says Shaksultan.
Previously, he spent four years in Russia:
“The situation there worsened, and I returned to Kyrgyzstan. I didn’t know anything about Serbia; I learned about it through ads.”
Work Without Guarantees
Kyrgyzstani Rysbek also came to Serbia through an advertisement but soon left, becoming a victim of deception.
“They promised a salary from 900 to 2,500 dollars, said they would provide a car or scooter for work as a courier, but nothing materialized. In the end, they paid 700 dollars a month, sometimes even less. Many companies that sent us closed down. After arriving, we couldn’t find them anymore.”
Rysbek ended up in Serbia while looking for an alternative to Russia, where he worked from 2019 to 2022, before the war in Ukraine began.
A similar situation occurred with 21-year-old Shamil, who left Russia after the new wave of repression against migrants began following the terrorist attack at the Moscow “Krokus City Hall” in 2024, which claimed 145 lives (for which responsibility was placed on migrants from Central Asia).
In a year in Serbia, Shamil changed several jobs due to dissatisfaction with employers' treatment.
“One company made us work 15 days without pay and then asked us to wait another 15 days. As a result, about 100 workers went a month and a half without salaries,” says Shamil.
Risks associated with labor migration to Serbia are increasingly reported by both local and international media.
As early as 2022, the Uzbek editorial office of RFE/RL reported on unpaid wages, violence, and forced deportation of migrants. Out of 500 people, about 200 were expelled without receiving their earned money.
Recently, the publication Balkan Insight published an investigation into the labor rights of Uzbek migrants, reporting cases of exploitation and fraud.
Mario Reljanovic, head of the Belgrade center “Decent Work,” notes:
“In 2024, about 80,000 foreign workers were employed in Serbia. Usually, foreigners do heavy and low-paid work that locals do not agree to. Some employers specifically hire foreigners because they do not know their rights and cannot defend them. Our labor legislation has not changed significantly in the last 10–20 years. If the laws were followed, the rights of foreign workers would be protected. But there is no real control. The main problem for foreign workers in Serbia is informal or unregistered employment, that is, working without documents and permits.”
Despite all the difficulties, Shamil does not plan to leave Serbia. Two months ago, he found a new job as a kitchen assistant.
According to him, the number of his compatriots in Serbia is growing.
“The number of Kyrgyz is increasing, and Serbia is starting to resemble Russia,” concludes Shamil.
