In an interview with the newspaper "Turkistan," the Head of State emphasized the importance of supporting ethnic Kazakhs abroad in their desire to return to their historical homeland. The President of Kazakhstan also noted that special attention must be paid to the integration of Kandases into our society.

All these issues are overseen by the Migration Committee of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population. Every year, about 2,500 regional quotas are allocated from the budget for receiving compatriots. Among the state support measures are one-time resettlement subsidies in the amount of 70 MRP per each family member, compensation for housing rental costs and utility payments for 12 months in the volume of 15 to 30 MRP per family. In addition, subsidies are issued to employers in the amount of 400 MRP for assistance in the employment of resettlers, referrals to short-term professional training, and the development of entrepreneurial activities.

Educational grants are also provided for Kandases within the framework of a 4-percent state quota. To obtain them, applicants take the UNT and participate in a competitive selection process. Over the past five years, about 6,000 young people have become recipients of such grants. Every year, about 1,300 places are allocated to preparatory departments of higher and postgraduate education organizations, and within the scholarship program, an opportunity is provided to study in Master's and PhD programs.

At the same time, the remark of the Head of State regarding the uneven settlement of compatriots arriving in the country is certainly relevant. In this regard, it is necessary to regularize the issue according to the established regional quota for the admission of Kandases.

The NJSC "Otandastar Foundation" has established constant information and consulting support for Kazakhs abroad and moved Kandases. An info center functions under the society, carrying out activities through a hot line telephone, messengers, and a back office. More than 33,000 applications have been processed, with relevant explanations and consultations provided for each. Most of the applications concern the issues of obtaining Kandas status, education, and citizenship.

In addition, we conduct systematic and comprehensive work aimed at strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties with ethnic Kazakhs abroad and preserving their national identity. For example, projects aimed at promoting Kazakh culture and language outside the country are being implemented. Thus, within the framework of the "Uly Dala" project, works by 28 Kazakh authors living abroad have been published in recent years, performances by Kazakhstani artists are organized, and foreign ethno-cultural associations of compatriots are supported. Within the framework of signed memorandums, our foundation supports international cooperation with specialized organizations in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and South Korea, and also develops partnership ties with diaspora structures in China, Japan, and the countries of the Organization of Turkic States.

In terms of establishing promising cooperation, analytical studies were conducted in the countries of Northern Europe, Germany, as well as in Canada, the USA, Malaysia, and Singapore with the aim of studying the potential for attracting successful compatriots to the development of Kazakhstan. In November last year, a forum of compatriot scientists was held in Astana with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. About 200 people from different countries took part in it. Ethnic Kazakhs — businessmen, scientists, doctors, and representatives of the creative industry — met in 2025 as part of the II Kurultai of Kazakhs of Southeast Asian countries in Seoul.

Special attention is paid to education and youth support. Over five seasons of the Jas Qazaq summer ethno-camp, 787 children from 13 countries have visited here. Online Kazakh language courses were organized: about 3.2 thousand lessons were held, covering more than 6.4 thousand people. Educational exhibitions for applicants were held in Mongolia and Uzbekistan, covering more than 800 schoolchildren.

A significant result was the simplification of the rules for the admission of ethnic Kazakhs to Kazakhstani universities in 2024. Thanks to the joint work of the "Otandastar Foundation" and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the number of Kandases admitted under state quotas doubled — from 801 people in 2023 to 1,604 in 2024. And in 2025, there were already 2,138 of them, which clearly shows the potential of inter-sectoral interaction.

 

Resource: Kazpravda.kz