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Labour Mobility
Migrants and diaspora communities contribute key skills as well as financial resources to both countries of origin and countries of residence.
IOM enhances the benefits of labour migration by offering policy advice and advocacy, promoting safe practices and supporting practical and operational solutions to migration and integration. IOM engages across the labour migration process and collaborates with beneficiaries including migrants, governments, the private sector, diaspora organisations and other local partners.
IOM offers policy and technical advice to national governments and supports the development of policies, legislation and administrative structures that promote efficient, effective and transparent labour migration practices (including temporary worker schemes for sectors such as agriculture). Within this area of work, IOM is particularly focused on the ethical recruitment and treatment of migrant workers.
In the UK, migrants help fill critical labour shortages in key sectors for the economy, such as in the agricultural sector.
Since 2022, IOM has worked to support migrants arriving in the UK as part of the UK seasonal workers scheme from the Central Asian countries Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. While migrant workers from that region used to travel predominantly to Russia for seasonal work, the United Kingdom has emerged as an alternative destination for these migrant workers in recent years. Workers from Central Asia now make up the majority of seasonal workers coming to the UK.
IOM’s support to migrant workers from Central Asia aims to enhance their awareness and access to resources for safe migration to the UK.
In Central Asia
IOM provides a range of services and support to migrant workers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, both before they leave for the UK and after they return. Key project activities include providing free information, protection tools, and supporting pre-departure orientation sessions. These efforts aim to ensure safer working conditions and improve migrants’ integration into the UK seasonal workforce. The programme also has the longer-term objective to promote sustainable community development by empowering returnees and their families.
In the UK
In the UK, IOM regularly engages with key stakeholders and partners to advocate for safe and regular routes and to promote migrants’ rights and well-being.
IOM UK is also a member of the Seasonal Worker Scheme Taskforce, a network of industry trade bodies, retailers, growers, recruiters and non-profits working together to develop and implement tangible actions to help safeguard and ensure access to workers’ rights in the UK Seasonal Worker Scheme (SWS) and wider UK horticulture.
In response to requests from the UK horticulture sector for more information about seasonal workers from Central Asia, and in order to facilitate cross-cultural communication and productive working conditions, IOM UK provided cultural awareness sessions for UK employers, growers and farmers employing seasonal workers from Central Asia. The interactive sessions covered topics including history & language, religion & diet, social norms and communication styles & conflict resolution. These sessions took place as part of the Seasonal Worker Scheme Taskforce's Grower Roadshows from February to April 2025.
The objective of these sessions was to enhance effective communication and integration of Central Asian seasonal workers to improve the experience of UK employers and seasonal workers themselves.
Four briefs on key themes relating to the topics were created for the sessions and are available in the SWS Grower Toolkit or can be downloaded below. The information in these briefs intends to provide introductory information on key themes and does not present a complete picture of Central Asian society and culture. This publication was issued without formal editing from IOM. The Cultural Awareness for Growers presentation can also be downloaded below, and see here for a recording of the session.
Brief 4 Communication styles and conflict resolution
Cultural Awareness Session for Growers
Please note that IOM is not involved in the recruitment or hiring process for seasonal workers coming to the UK. For information on Seasonal Worker Visa please visit the UK government website.
Related Content
IOM Submission to the Migration Advisory Committee Call for Evidence on the Seasonal Worker Visa
From Seasonal Workers in the UK to Successful Entrepreneurs in Tajikistan | IOM Storyteller
Investing in Remittances in Central Asia | Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia