In April 2025, Balkan Insight released an article alleging migrant workers from Uzbekistan are vulnerable to exploitation in Serbia.

The article alleges migrants from Uzbekistan are subjected to labour rights violations, including wage theft, unsuitable living conditions, contract substitution, passport confiscation, recruitment fee charging, and other abuses. Abuses occur in a range of industries, including manufacturing, hospitality, and express delivery.

The article says these workers are particularly vulnerable due to the nature of their visa, as their work permits are tied to their employer which puts them at risk of deportation if they leave their job or are dismissed.

The article says the migrants are being recruited into exploitative jobs in Serbia via Telegram. BIRN identifies “several Telegram groups” where middlemen offer recruitment services without contracts, and where conditions promised by brokers before departure contrast with the realities experienced upon arrival.

In May, we invited Telegram to respond to the reporting, and to outline how it monitors and removes content that facilitates the recruitment of migrants from Uzbekistan into exploitative jobs in Serbia. Telegram did not respond.