As of February 1, 2024, 12,882 foreign citizens are working in Kazakhstan with permits from local executive bodies.

Among the permits to attract foreign labor (hereinafter referred to as IRS), there are the following categories: 565 permits for managers and their deputies (first category), 2,671 permits for heads of structural divisions (second category). The bulk of the attracted foreign workers belong to the third (specialists) and fourth (skilled workers) categories - 5,871 and 595 people, respectively. Also, 564 people were hired for seasonal work, and 2,616 people were hired as part of corporate transfers.

Currently in Kazakhstan there are 1,657 employers using IRS. More than 456 thousand citizens of Kazakhstan work for them, which is 97.2% of the total number of employees. By type of economic activity, the largest number work in the following areas: construction – 4,326 people. (33.5%), manufacturing industry - 1,370 people. (10.6%), mining and quarrying - 1,298 people. (10%), professional, scientific and technical activities - 843 people. (6.5%), agriculture, forestry and fisheries - 600 people. (4.6%).

The main countries of origin of labor migrants are: China – 4,045 people. (31.4%), India – 1,152 people. (8.9%), Türkiye – 1,110 people. (8.6%), Uzbekistan – 673 people. (5.2%).

In order to protect the internal labor market, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan annually establishes and distributes a quota for attracting foreign specialists to the republic. In 2024, the general quota is set at 0.23% in relation to the workforce in the republic, or 22 thousand units.

Source: Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan