DUSHANBE, November 7, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- The global financial crisis may affect Tajik labor migrants, who are a critical component in Tajikistan’s economy, known Tajik economist, Professor Hojimuhammad Umarov, said in an interview with Asia-Plus. 

Tajik labor migrants currently work primarily in the Russian Federation that has been hit by the world financial crisis.  The crisis may lead to decrease in wage rates and hemorrhage of jobs for labor migrants in Russia, according to Umarov.  

“The crisis will affect especially our labor migrants working in the construction sector because employment layoffs are expected in this sector,” the expert said noting that the crisis will affect remittances as well.  

“Remittances that amount to hundreds of millions of dollars per year will decrease that will have the negative impact on the country’s economy,” Professor Umarov said.