Abstract. The problem of labor migration is one of the key issues in Russia's cooperation with the Central Asian states. For the countries of the region, given the scale of the phenomenon, the participation of national personnel in labor activity in Russia makes a significant contribution to ensuring socio-economic stability and development. For Russia, taking into account the difficult demographic situation, deficits and imbalances in employment, the import of labor resources can also be considered as one of the means of solving the existing difficulties. However, the import of foreign labor is not a panacea, especially considering that the growth of labor migration flows is not accompanied by an increase in the quality of professional training of incoming personnel. The majority of migrants have a low level of education, which raises questions about the expediency of attracting appropriate workers and assessing the long-term consequences of the previously chosen course of migration policy. There is an obvious need to reboot the strategies for attracting labor resources, in this sense, a reorientation towards attracting mid-level personnel may be in demand. In this regard, the authors turn to the study of the state and dynamics of the development of secondary vocational education systems in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. These states are currently the main suppliers of labor resources to Russia. The article examines the possibilities and limitations of cross-country cooperation in the field of training of intermediate professional qualifications, and formulates proposals aimed at improving its quality and effectiveness.