Lithuania has nearly tripled the issuance of work permits for seasonal work to Central Asian migrants. This was reported by the country's Employment Service here.
It was reported that in the first quarter of the year, 363 such permits were issued. In the same period of 2024, this number was 122. The certificates show that 91 percent are men, and 9 percent are women. The most permits were issued to citizens of the following countries:
- Uzbekistan – 42 percent;
- Tajikistan – 34 percent;
- Kyrgyzstan – 6 percent.
53 percent of them worked in road construction, 14 percent were cooks, 7 percent butchers, and 5 percent worked as strawberry pickers, janitors, and construction workers.
Lithuania's labor market is becoming increasingly open for foreigners who come here temporarily to earn money, said Ernestas Varanauskas, the head of the Employment Service's department for foreigners.
As of April 1, 2025, 145.8 thousand foreigners from 137 countries are working in the country. The largest shares are from Ukraine (47.5 thousand), Belarus (47.3 thousand), Uzbekistan (9.1 thousand), and Tajikistan (6.5 thousand).
For information, Lithuania is intensifying its migration policy for Central Asian citizens. Nearly ten citizens of the region's countries have been banned from entering Lithuania due to potential connections with terrorist organizations and radicalization. Lithuania's Prime Minister had said that more attention should now be paid to cultural closeness during the visa issuance process.
