The key facts

  • Technical college students will be able to work and travel abroad under the Work and Travel program starting from the 2026/2027 academic year
  • A loan is being introduced to cover travel and other expenses
  • The Migration Agency concludes agreements with foreign employers annually by March 1

Extending the program to technical college students

Students of technical colleges in Uzbekistan enrolled in secondary and secondary specialized vocational education programs will be able to take part in the international Work and Travel program — working and traveling abroad — starting from the 2026/2027 academic year. This is provided for by a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers dated October 31, 2026, as reported by Gazeta.uz and the Agency for Vocational Education.

Which countries and what support are provided

Under the new procedure, participants will be able to travel to European Union countries, South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. To cover round-trip travel and other related expenses, a loan system is being introduced — a repayable borrowed fund, as explained by Kun.uz. Data on participants — the name and address of the technical college, its code, field of study, course year, form of study, status and grades — will be entered into the EMIS RT information system. The Migration Agency has been tasked with concluding cooperation agreements with foreign employers under the program annually by March 1.

How this changes the previous situation

Previously, the Work and Travel program was only available to university students: it was launched in 2025, and from May 2025 students could receive an interest-free loan equal to 40 times the base calculated indicator for a trip. The idea of extending the program to technical college students was voiced by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on February 24, 2026, during an open dialogue with youth — at that time, the possibility of working abroad for six months and earning additional income was discussed. The adopted resolution turns this statement into an effective norm, although based on the text of the publications it remains unclear whether technical college students will receive the same loan amount as university students.