Key facts
- The UK's seasonal farm labor force increasingly includes workers from Central Asia.
- Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are key countries of origin for these workers.
- This shift follows the UK's departure from the European Union.
- Remittances to Kazakhstan have significantly increased.
- The UK is now a major source of remittances for Kazakhstan.
The United Kingdom's agricultural sector is experiencing a notable shift in its seasonal labor force, with a significant portion of workers now originating from Central Asian countries such as Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. This development comes a decade after the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union, an event that altered labor mobility and access to workers from EU member states. The increased presence of Central Asian laborers has had a direct economic impact on their home countries, particularly Kazakhstan. Remittances sent back by these workers have seen a substantial increase, positioning the UK as a major contributor to this financial flow. This trend underscores the evolving dynamics of agricultural labor in the UK and its broader geopolitical and economic implications for Central Asia.