ASTANA – Kazakhstan has simplified visa, entry, and work permit procedures to attract foreign investors, skilled professionals, and labor migrants, while maintaining controls to protect the domestic labor market. Photo credit: Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population The updated system offers simplified visa regimes, faster application processing, and support mechanisms for investment projects.
It also prioritizes highly skilled foreign workers in fields such as information technology, healthcare, engineering, manufacturing, and creative industries. Citizens of Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states, Armenia, Belarus, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Russia, continue to benefit from visa-free labor mobility in Kazakhstan, with reciprocal rights for Kazakhstan workers across the region, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population reported on April 19.
For non-EAEU nationals, Kazakhstan applies a quota-based system aligned with labor market demand. Since the beginning of this year, the country has issued 5,100 permits for in-demand occupations and around 75,000 permits for labor immigrants, while setting quotas of 23,600 foreign workers and 221,800 labor immigrants.
According to the ministry, the system is designed to balance economic needs with domestic employment protection, while ensuring controlled inflows of foreign labor. At the same time, Kazakhstan is introducing a modernized permanent residency process based on digital screening, language assessment, and interagency review.
The new migration policy is intended to attract applicants committed to long-term residence and integration.