Selected Issues Papers

Labor Market Challenges and Policy Reforms in the Kyrgyz Republic: Kyrgyz Republic

By Jean van Houtte, Farid Talishli

June 18, 2025

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Format: Chicago

Jean van Houtte, and Farid Talishli. "Labor Market Challenges and Policy Reforms in the Kyrgyz Republic: Kyrgyz Republic", Selected Issues Papers 2025, 082 (2025), accessed July 19, 2025, https://doi.org/10.5089/9798229013833.018

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Summary

This SIP reviews the labor market constraints to growth and development in the Kyrgyz Republic, including gender-specific constraints. It is motivated by the high annual population growth rate of 2 percent, which implies 50,000 new labor market entrants per year. The review canvasses broadly recent additions to the relevant economic literature and databases. The SIP finds that significant informality, low worker productivity, a skills mismatch, and the gender gap in labor participation undermine improvements in, and the efficient allocation of, the labor force. The paper suggests a sharper focus of more flexible labor market policies, a more cost-effective education system, and better social safety nets.

Subject: Labor, Labor costs, Labor force, Labor market policy, Labor markets

Keywords: Central Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus, Europe, Gender, Global, Growth, Labor costs, Labor force, Labor Market, Labor market analysis, Labor market entrant, Labor market policy, Labor markets, Labor Productivity, Policy reform, Structural Reforms, Title labor market challenge, Unit Labor

Publication Details

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