Uzbekistan created 506,000 permanent jobs in the first half of 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Economy and Finance Minister Jamshid Kuchkarov told a parliamentary session today.
Kuchkarov briefed lawmakers on the government's progress in the first six months of the year under the "Uzbekistan-2030" strategy, saying the country had seen significant gains in employment and household income over that period.
"During the reporting period, 506,000 people were placed in permanent jobs. The incomes of 2,616,000 people were increased. The activity of 546,000 informally employed citizens was legalized. We launched 104,000 micro-projects aimed at deepening the specialization of local mahallas, creating employment for 246,000 people," the government official said.
Kuchkarov noted that the unemployment rate had fallen from 4.8 percent at the start of 2026 to 4.5 percent, while the poverty rate had also dropped to 4.5 percent.
"A total of 2,756 mahallas have been transformed into poverty-free areas. We provided 300,000 income-boosting services to 227,000 low-income families listed in the social registry," the minister said.
The report also noted that nearly 37,800 new small businesses were established during the period.
Kuchkarov stressed that Uzbekistan's economy continues to grow steadily despite persistent global economic uncertainty and complexity. In the first half of 2026, the country's real GDP growth rate reached 8.5 percent, while state budget expenditures for the period totaled 205.6 trillion soums.
At an earlier session, lawmaker Sayyora Imomova said that 75 percent of the funds allocated from the budget for unemployment benefits and financial assistance had gone unused. She also criticized the fact that only 27 percent of funds earmarked for subsidies had been spent.
Stay up to date with all the latest news:
