Qatar Airways explores hiring 1,600 Uzbek specialists under new labour agreements

Uzbekistan and Qatar have reached new agreements on labour migration and workforce development, including plans to recruit Uzbek specialists for jobs at Qatar Airways and launch targeted training programs in high-demand sectors such as healthcare, aviation, tourism and information technology.

Officials from Uzbekistan’s Migration Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the country’s embassy in Qatar held a series of migration-focused meetings in Doha aimed at expanding employment opportunities for Uzbek citizens in the Gulf state.

During talks with Qatar’s Minister of Labour, Ali bin Saeed, the sides discussed studying qualification requirements in sectors facing labour shortages in Qatar and introducing specialized training courses in Uzbekistan aligned with Qatari standards.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to organize visits to Uzbekistan by representatives of Qatar’s employment and healthcare authorities, establish an interagency working group, and launch a dedicated educational program to train medical workers according to Qatar’s healthcare standards.

In negotiations with Abdulhadi Barkan, head of Qatar’s state employment organization Jusour, the sides also agreed to hold the “Uzbekistan — Qatar Labour Forum” in Tashkent in September 2026. More than 50 employers are expected to participate in the event, which will focus on employment opportunities for Uzbek job seekers in Qatar.

Separate discussions with Qatar Airways Vice President Fathi Atti resulted in agreements to recruit 65 Uzbek candidates in May and June this year for positions including flight attendants, engineers and airport staff.

The airline also agreed to explore a longer-term project aimed at employing 1,600 university-educated Uzbek specialists in areas including piloting, mechanics, electrical engineering and broader engineering disciplines.

Earlier, Uzbekistan and Qatar were reported to have agreed to expand labour migration cooperation by simplifying recruitment procedures, matching qualified Uzbek specialists with Qatari employers, and exploring integration between recruitment platforms.

The discussions particularly focused on healthcare, information technology and construction sectors, while also considering Golden Visa eligibility opportunities for surgeons.

The latest agreements follow broader efforts to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. In 2025, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed expanding cooperation in energy, transport, textiles, tourism and infrastructure during talks in Doha, held amid a 45% increase in bilateral trade since the start of the year.