The Kazakh government has begun accepting foreign worker quota applications for 2025.

Key Points:

  • The Employment and Social Programs Department is responsible for establishing a 2025 quota for foreign labor recruitment.
  • Applications are submitted by the region where a company operates. The deadline to apply is Oct. 1.
    • The quota excludes foreign workers transferred within a company (intracompany transferees).

Additional Information: The quota enables companies to obtain work authorization for foreign workers and attract foreign specialists.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

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The Kazakh government announced an agreement with Vietnam for a mutual visa-free travel policy.

‌Key Points:

  • Effective May 25, nationals from each country will be exempt from obtaining a visa to travel to the other country, provided they apply with an active national passport.
  • Tourists will be permitted to stay in the country for 30 calendar days from the date of entry, for a total of 90 calendar days every six months.

BAL Analysis: Officials stated that the agreement was signed in August last year in Hanoi. The reciprocal visa-free policy should increase economic and social ties between the two countries.

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The Kazakhstani government announced the new 2024 foreign worker quotas for all work categories and regions.

‌Key Points:

  • The permit quota for attracting foreign workers is divided into categories:
    • 906 for managers and their deputies
    • 5,054 for heads of structural divisions
    • 10,786 for specialists
    • 2,888 for skilled workers
    • 2,366 for seasonal work
  • The new quotas for the respective regions are as follows:
    • Akmola region: 800 (increase from 178)
    • Almaty City: 1,671 (decrease from 2,050)
    • Astana City: 1,191 (decrease from 1,331)
    • Atyrau region: 4,765 (decrease from 6,144)
    • Shymkent City: 537 (increase from 156)
    • West Kazakhstan: 1,047 (decrease from 1,094)
    • Zhambyl: 3,660 (increase from 1,181)

Additional Information: Local executive bodies issued 14,500 thousand permits to employers in 2023, and currently 13,183 foreign citizens are working in Kazakhstan with such permits. Employers must provide information on the current number of foreign nationals employed and the number of foreign nationals the company intends to hire in 2024 when applying for their specific work permits.

BAL Analysis: Kazakhstan has settled the total quota at 0.23% of the country’s workforce, amounting to 22,000 workers. Companies are encouraged to take note of the quotas and any relevant exemptions and plan their international recruiting and hiring programs accordingly.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

Copyright © 2024 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.

IMPACT — MEDIUM

The Kazakhstani government has announced that some professions are exempt from the proof of income requirement for permanent stay permits.

Key Points:

  • Foreign nationals in 21 professions, including aerospace engineers, IT infrastructure architects, software architects and many medical professionals no longer need to provide proof of income when applying for permanent stay permits.
  • The full list of professions exempt from the proof of income requirement is available here.

Additional Information: Permanent stay permits are issued for up to 10 years or for the remaining validity of a foreign national’s passport. More information regarding the application process for permanent stay permits is available here.

BAL Analysis: Kazakh authorities exempted 21 professions from the proof of income requirement to reduce the time it takes to apply for a permanent stay permit. Foreign nationals working in an exempted profession will benefit from reduced processing times.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

Copyright ©2023 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.

IMPACT — MEDIUM

The Kazakhstani government has started accepting applications from companies in need of work permits for foreign workers in quota-subject job categories for 2023.

Key Points:

  • Employers in Kazakhstan can now apply for new work permit quotas for 2023 through this website.
  • Employers must provide information on the current number of foreign nationals employed and the number of foreign nationals the company intends to hire in 2023.

Additional Information: Filing a quota application is an annual requirement for companies that rely on foreign workers in job categories subject to quotas.

Applications must be submitted in regions of Kazakhstan where the company has operations. Companies should not include foreign workers who do not require a work permit or those who will be working as an intra-corporate transferee. Authorities may reject applications in cases where employers have a record of violating immigration or labor laws.

BAL Analysis: Companies should prepare their quota applications in order to meet the deadline. Companies that do not file the applications may have difficulty hiring foreign workers in quota-subject jobs next year.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

Copyright © 2023 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.

The government of Kazakhstan will stop accepting quota applications from companies in need of work permits for foreign workers in quota-subject job categories on Sept. 30.

Key Points:

  • Companies registered in Kazakhstan have until Sept. 30 to submit a quota application.
  • Applications must be submitted in regions where foreign employees will work and include the number of work permit holders and specialists that the company plans to invite in 2023.
  • Failure to file a quota application by the deadline may prevent a company from being able to hire foreign workers.

Additional Information: Filing a quota application is an annual requirement for companies that rely on foreign workers in job categories subject to quotas. Companies should not include foreign workers who do not require a work permit or those who will be working as an intra-corporate transferee. Authorities may reject applications in cases where employers have a record of violating immigration or labor laws.

BAL Analysis: Companies should prepare their quota applications in order to meet the deadline. Companies that do not file the applications may have difficulty hiring foreign workers in quota-subject jobs next year.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

Copyright © 2022 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.

The government of Kazakhstan has started accepting applications from companies in need of work permits for foreign workers in quota-subject job categories in 2023.

Key Points:

  • Companies registered in the Nur-Sultan region have until Sept. 30 to submit a quota application.
  • As of July 1, Atyrau and West Kazakhstan have started accepting quota applications.
  • Applications must include the number of work permit holders and specialists that the company plans to invite in 2023.
  • Failure to file a quota application by the deadline may prevent a company from being able to hire foreign workers.

Additional Information: Filing a quota application is an annual requirement for companies that rely on foreign workers in job categories subject to quotas.

Applications must be submitted in regions where foreign employees will work. Companies should not include foreign workers who do not require a work permit or those who will be working as an intra-corporate transferee. Authorities may reject applications in cases where employers have a record of violating immigration or labor laws.

BAL Analysis: Companies should prepare their quota applications in order to meet the deadline. Companies that do not file the applications may have difficulty hiring foreign workers in quota-subject jobs next year.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

Copyright © 2022 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.

The government of Kazakhstan has added China, India and Iran to its visa-free program.

Key Points:

  • Chinese, Indian and Iranian nationals can now stay in Kazakhstan without a visa for up to 14 days per trip.
  • Travelers from countries eligible for the visa-free program can conduct unpaid business activities, including attending a meeting or conference, among others.
  • Those from countries eligible for the visa-free program can stay in Kazakhstan for up to 42 days within a 180-day period.

Additional Information: Travelers who violate entry and exit requirements under the visa-free program may be fined or sanctioned and can be banned from entering the country for up to five years. More information regarding Kazakhstan’s visa-free travel is available here.

BAL Analysis: Travelers from China, India and Iran no longer need to use the 72-hour visa-free transit program when traveling through Kazakhstan as they are now included in the visa-free program. Those entering Kazakhstan through the visa-free program are reminded that conducting paid activities is prohibited.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

Copyright © 2022 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.

The government of Kazakhstan ended its COVID-19 entry permission requirement for many foreign nationals.

Key Points:

  • Interdepartmental Committee (IDC) entry permission is no longer required for:
    • Citizens of countries that have a unilateral visa-free travel program, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Singapore, the U.K., the U.S. and 47 other countries.
    • Citizens of countries that have a bilateral visa-free travel program, including Brazil, Russia, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and 15 other countries.
    • Citizens of countries where regular air travel has resumed, including China, India, Japan and 27 other countries.

Additional Information: Travelers, regardless of their vaccination status, must have a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival to enter the country. More information regarding Kazakhstan’s visa requirements is available here.

BAL Analysis: The government of Kazakhstan ended the IDC entry permission requirement for many travelers because of the improving COVID-19 situation. Travelers should note that entry requirements and restrictions can change with little to no notice as the virus situation evolves.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

Copyright © 2022 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.

IMPACT – MEDIUM

The government of Kazakhstan has resumed its visa-free travel program for 54 countries.

Key Points:

  • As of Jan. 1, eligible foreign nationals can use the visa-free travel when traveling to Kazakhstan for business and tourism.
  • Travelers using the visa-free travel program are still required to have approval from the Interdepartmental Committee (IDC) to enter the country.
  • Individuals are exempt from the IDC approval requirement if they are traveling by air and are citizens from the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Kuwait, Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Vietnam or the U.K.
    • The exemption does not apply to foreign nationals entering Kazakhstan by land.

Additional Information: Duration of stay depends on a traveler’s nationality. More information regarding Kazakhstan’s visa requirements is available here.

BAL Analysis: The government of Kazakhstan resumed visa-free travel based on the COVID-19 situation. Travelers should note that entry requirements and restrictions can change with little to no notice as the virus situation evolves.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

Copyright © 2022 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.