Kazakhstan is revising the rules for attracting foreign labor. The Ministry of Labor has submitted for public discussion a draft order changing the quota parameters for 2026. The number of permits for employers will increase, while the share of low-skilled foreign workers will decrease.
As explained by the Migration Committee of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the adjustment is related to the tasks of improving the investment climate and providing the economy with qualified personnel. The document's developers emphasize that in the context of global competition for capital and technology, a flexible mechanism for attracting foreign labor becomes a key factor for investors.
First of all, priority is given to highly qualified specialists. The current quota of 0.25% in some cases limits the ability to quickly attract such personnel, affecting the timing and efficiency of large projects. In this regard, it is proposed to increase the indicator to 0.3%. At the same time, the authorities plan to reduce the quota for attracting labor immigrants from 2.9% to 2.85%. This will shift the priority of migration policy from low-skilled labor to specialists in demand in investment and high-tech projects.
The total quota for attracting foreign labor is distributed among regions and will amount to 23.7 thousand units. For comparison, in 2024 the figure was 0.23%, and in 2025 — 0.25%. The distribution is carried out by categories of workers (from first to fourth, including seasonal employees) and among regions based on applications from akimats. The quota is not distributed by industry, but actual recruitment depends on the needs of employers. The most in-demand industries are construction, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, mining and processing industries, as well as professional, scientific and technical activities.
The quota is formed based on applications from employers submitted annually by October 1 to local executive bodies. The labor market situation, unemployment rate, number of graduates, and the possibility of covering needs through internal resources are taken into account. The main donor countries of labor in Kazakhstan are China, Uzbekistan, Turkey, India and Thailand. As noted by the committee, the recruitment of workers is carried out according to actual demand from businesses.
