Work permit issuance suspended for certain countries owing to COVID-19 outbreak

IMPACT – HIGH

What is the change? Authorities have stated they have temporarily suspended work permit issuance to residents of China, Germany, Iran, Italy, South Korea and Spain.

What does the change mean? Nationals of these countries and regions will be denied work authorization until further notice.

• Implementation time frame: March 1.
• Visas/permits affected: Work permits.
• Who is affected: Foreign nationals from China, Germany, Iran, Italy, South Korea, Spain, and their employers.
• Business impact: Employers of foreign nationals traveling from the above countries and regions may experience significant delays affecting employee mobility.

Additional information: Kazakhstan has mandated the following preventative measures for foreign nationals arriving from affected areas:

• China, Iran and South Korea: 14 days of quarantine and 10 days of monitoring after quarantine discharge.
• Italy: Self-isolation for 14 days with daily monitoring through medical worker calls.
• Germany and Spain: Daily monitoring through medical worker calls.

Analysis & Comments: The temporary work permit issuance ban and quarantine measures are part of Kazakhstan’s increased efforts to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Employers must be prepared to be flexible with employee schedules and start dates for employees who are affected by the work permit ban. The response to the COVID-19 outbreak continues to develop, and Deloitte will provide additional updates as information becomes available.

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