The migration process is considered one of the most important factors in the socio-economic, demographic and territorial sustainable development of the country. For our vast republic, covering a vast territory from Altai to Atyrau, from the Urals to Alatau, following an effective state policy in the field of migration and its consistent implementation is a pressing issue related to economic and demographic sustainable development, as well as the security of our country. 

"A fair state. A single nation. In his address to the people on September 1, 2022, entitled "Blessed Society", the head of state Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said: "The policy regarding immigration and internal migration of relatives will change radically. At the same time, demographic and economic trends should be taken into account. It is also very important to be guided by national interests. The foundation of a strong nation is people. The most important thing is that our citizens have good health and a good education. "Professionalism and hard work should be at the highest level in our society," he emphasized. Immediately at the end of December of the same year, the concept of the country's Migration Policy for 2023-2027 was adopted and the tasks for the new period were defined.

In general, three main stages in the development of migration policy, which plays an important role in the economy of a sovereign country, can be noted. Firstly, 1991-2000 are characterized by a deterioration in the socio-economic situation in the country due to the collapse of the Soviet Union.In those years when the demographic profile of the country changed significantly, the state migration policy was focused on the repatriation of ethnic Kazakhs. This was reflected in the state program to support the Kazakh diaspora in 1995, in our first law "On the Migration of People" adopted in 1997. The Agency for Migration and Demography was created, in 1993 an annual quota for the immigration of Kazakhs was established (10 thousand families or about 40 thousand people), in 1998 the concept of the return of ethnic Kazakhs to their historical homeland was adopted.

Secondly, 2001 - 2010 is a period of political change, socio-economic growth and reforms. State programs aimed at the repatriation of ethnic Kazakhs had a positive effect on the demographic indicators of the country, during which the population reached 16.4 million people. During this period, the interest of foreign specialists in our country increased. For example, in 2007, the largest number of legal immigrants was registered (58.8 thousand people). And the flow of internal migration increased due to the resettlement of the rural population to large cities, as well as emigrants to the new capital. In order to solve the problems of demographic imbalance that arose, a new program and concept of migration policy for 2001-2010 were adopted, as well as a state program for the development of rural areas for 2004-2010.

The third period, covering 2011-2022, determined the influence of globalization conditions and external socio-economic factors: ethnic repatriation decreased, there was a large outflow of qualified specialists to foreign labor markets. According to official data, 367.1 thousand people with higher (38%) and vocational (34%) education, mainly of working age, moved abroad for permanent residence. In 2019-2021 alone, 106.5 thousand people left the country in connection with moving to a permanent place of residence abroad, 90 percent of them migrated to the CIS countries for the purpose of employment or returning to their historical homeland. Emigration in recent years mainly includes educated youth and qualified specialists. This, of course, is one of the main factors affecting the quality of human capital. These trends, which determined the need to develop human capital, became the basis of the policy formed with the aim of influencing the modernization of the country. A new law "On Migration of the Population" and the concept of migration policy for 2017-2021 have been adopted.

As a result of the continuous flow of internal migration, a change in the distribution of the population across the country has been observed. In such megacities as Astana, Almaty and Shymkent, the population is increasing more than in other regions. Large cities are, of course, attractive due to their suitable infrastructure and the necessary amenities for life.If we consider urbanization as one of the driving forces of development, the problems arising from the mass migration of people from rural areas to cities are noticeable both for the citizens themselves and for villages and cities. Therefore, regardless of the country, the movement of internal migration needs constant regulation. Improving the legal regulation of internal migration in our country is considered one of the main tasks of the state migration policy. In the program article "Independence is more precious than anything", the head of state Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said: "There is another task that should be solved without wasting time and consistently implemented. As a result of the mass migration of people to cities, the number of residents in many villages, especially near the border, has sharply decreased. We will create favorable conditions for the resettlement of residents of the southern region, where there is a lot of labor, in the northern and eastern regions, and will pay attention to this work. This is a very urgent issue related to the security of our country ... It should not be viewed as another campaign," he said, emphasizing that the management of internal migration is a political issue.

Positive movement within the new concept

In general, the new concept of the country's migration policy for a five-year period is being implemented within the framework of 7 main areas. In this regard, in his report on the current state of migration and the implementation of the concept for 2023-2027 at a briefing held at the Central Communications Service, Vice Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Askarbek Ertayev noted that this year there has been a positive trend in the process of external migration. "The positive migration balance has been maintained for two years now. According to the results of the first half of 2024, the migration balance was +7.3 thousand people. 14 thousand people arrived in the country and 7 thousand people left. According to the division of countries, the increase in migration mainly falls on the Commonwealth of Independent States and the People's Republic of China. A positive balance is also observed in the level of education, more educated people came to our country than left abroad. In addition, +686 people with technical specialties, +215 people with pedagogical specialties, +203 people with economic specialties arrived, a positive balance was formed," said Askarbek Ertayev.

In order to fulfill the task of the head of state to revise the internal migration policy within the framework of the new concept, a mechanism was created to organize the regulated migration of citizens to the northern and central regions, creating jobs through relocation and expansion. Existing business projects in the regions of the country were presented.At the same time, regional roadmaps are being implemented to facilitate resettlement, taking into account the provision of land resources, engineering, transport, logistics and social infrastructure in each region accepting immigrants. As a result of the active implementation of incentive measures, positive changes are observed in the process of internal migration. According to the representative of the department, the number of emigrants in the regions of the country has increased by 1.7 times compared to the same period last year. During the period January-June of this year, 688 thousand people migrated, including 307 thousand people from one region to another. As always, megacities remain attractive centers for internal migrants. In general, fifty percent of them want to settle in large cities. For example, during the reporting period, more than 64,000 people came to permanent residence in Astana, 60,000 - to Almaty, 31,000 - to Shymkent.

What do the legislative changes include?

As for the legislative changes related to improving the migration process, the law "On Amendments and Supplements to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Improving Legislation in the Sphere of Population Migration and the Criminal Justice System", signed by the Head of State on May 16 of this year, addresses six main issues

Land plots for peasant or farm households are provided to migrants in regions determined by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the basis of temporary short-term paid land use (lease) for a period of up to five years on a non-competitive basis in amounts not exceeding the minimum amounts established in accordance with paragraph 5 of Article 50 of this Code, without the right of alienation, transfer as a contribution to the authorized capital of a business partnership, in payment for shares of a joint-stock company or as a contribution to a production cooperative.

Repeated provision of land plots for these purposes is not permitted.

A change of permanent residence from the regions determined by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan shall entail the termination of the right to land use granted on the basis of the first part of this paragraph in accordance with Article 81 of this Code.

Resettlers who have lived in regions determined by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan for more than five years are granted the right to conclude an agreement for a new term of long-term land use rights in the manner prescribed by Article 37 of this Code.

Secondly, provisions have been approved on the protection of housing subsidies, rent for housing and utilities paid to participants in voluntary resettlement from foreclosure on credit obligations to banks and other financial institutions. They are not subject to prohibitions, as well as temporary and other restrictions on expenditure transactions.

Thirdly, if the citizenship of an ethnic Kazakh is not indicated in an identity document, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population and local executive bodies are authorized to determine his citizenship.

Fourthly, widows of relatives and their common children can be included in the regional quota for the admission of kandas.

Fifthly, if it was necessary to conduct scientific work for ethnic Kazakhs with an academic degree, the opportunity was offered to independently migrate to the regions without returning and compensation for the state support measures received for resettlement.

Sixthly, labor migrants were given the opportunity to obtain a work permit for a period of 1 to 12 months at their request.

Migration: main directions

In addition, the vice minister spoke about the main directions of the concept of migration policy. Among them, we will focus on the fourth direction related to ethnic immigration. Within the framework of this direction, since July 1 last year, a mechanism for considering applications from our compatriots based on the "one-stop shop" principle was launched in the embassies of Kazakhstan. Within the framework of the pilot project, it is possible to solve the problem of the possibility of visiting our country, providing work, housing, obtaining the status of a kandas without entering the country. In this context, 17,158 applications from ethnic Kazakhs have been received to date. A new algorithm for accommodating compatriots who have moved to their historical homeland has also been created and is being implemented in four categories.

First, to attract the necessary business owners at the request of employers. Demand may come from all regions where there is a shortage of labor. In this case, our compatriots will be sent to the region of residence of the employer.

Second, if parents or children arrived earlier, received citizenship and are engaged in a certain profession, our compatriots can move to the place of residence of this family.

Thirdly, in order to strengthen the demographic process, regions can invite our compatriots to settlements with development potential on their territory. 

Fourthly, our compatriots will be sent to regions determined by the government. It is worth noting that a social package is provided for emigrants sent to regions determined by the government. At the same time, as part of the regulation of ethnic migration, an interactive map of settlement by regions (districts and settlements) will be developed, and local executive bodies will take measures to create adaptation and integration centers in the regions determined by the Government Regulation. Rules for the provision of adaptation and integration services to immigrants and compatriots have been developed.

According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population, since the beginning of this year, 12,325 ethnic Kazakhs have returned to Kazakhstan and received the status of kandas. 45.6% of emigrants came from China, 39.2% from Uzbekistan, 5.5% from Turkmenistan, 5.4% from Mongolia, 3.1% from Russia and 1.2% from other countries. In total, 1 million 140.7 thousand kandas have returned to our country since 1991.

As of September 1 of this year, 58.2% of ethnic emigrants are citizens of working age, 32.4% are younger, 9.4% are pensioners. As for the level of education of people of working age, 17.8% have higher education, 24.2% have secondary vocational education, 54.1% have general secondary education, 3.6% have no education.

Our compatriots have settled in different regions of the country, including Akmola, Abay, Kostanay, Pavlodar, East and North Kazakhstan regions, where there is a labor shortage. In the regions of settlement, the quota for the reception of compatriots for this year is 3,033 people, and as of September 1, 2,127 compatriots have moved. In the form of a subsidy for compatriots who have settled in these regions - simultaneously in the amount of 70 MEK (258.4 thousand tenge) for the head of the family and for each family member, for payment of rent for housing and utilities - from 15 to 30 MEK (from 55.3, state support measures are offered in the amount of up to 110.7 thousand tenge). Since the beginning of the year, 1,948 people have been covered by social support and adaptation measures, employment, 551 people have been employed permanently.

In the process of managing and regulating the internal migration process, an important area considered in the new concept is stimulating work aimed at leveling the demographic difference between regions with sufficient labor force and regions with its deficit. In this regard, in order to stimulate voluntary migration, measures have been taken to provide institutional support to employers involved in the migration of citizens from densely populated regions to northern regions where there is a labor deficit. 

State support is provided to thousands of people under the programs "Serpin", "Auyl amanaty", "Auyl - el besigi", "Diplommen auylga". One of the measures to support this category of citizens is a one-time gratuitous certificate of economic mobility in the amount of 50 percent of the cost of housing or up to 4.28 million tenge per family to cover part of the down payment for the purchase of housing, construction or mortgage loan. 
According to official data, since the beginning of this year, 6,148 people or 1,769 families have been resettled. To provide housing to emigrant families, 663 economic mobility certificates were issued for a total of 2.7 billion tenge.

 

Rymtai Kokenaykyzy

qazaqadebieti.kz

translated by Qazalem