Work Permits for Foreign Nationals in Kazakhstan in 2026: Who Needs One and How to Apply?

In brief. In Kazakhstan, a work permit is usually obtained by the employer, not the foreign national. It is called a permit to attract foreign labour. The permit is issued by the local executive authority of the relevant region or city within the established quota, and the application is submitted online. Processing takes up to 19 working days, including 10 working days allowed for payment of the fee. The fee depends on the industry and employee category, starting at 137 MCI (KZT 592,525 in 2026) for a one-year permit. Citizens of EAEU member states, foreign nationals with permanent residence permits, and approximately 20 other categories are exempt from the work permit requirement.

The information was checked against Kazakhstan's regulatory acts as of 16 October 2026. This article is an overview, not legal advice.

First, check whether a permit is required at all. A foreign national does not need one if they:

• Are a citizen of an EAEU member state, such as Kyrgyzstan.
• Permanently reside in Kazakhstan and hold a permanent residence permit. We explain how to obtain one in a separate article.
• Are a kandas (an ethnic Kazakh returning to Kazakhstan), a refugee, or a business immigrant who has arrived to conduct their own business.
• Are married to a Kazakhstani citizen, provided the marriage has lasted at least three years and the person has arrived to join their family.
• Are a full-time student working outside their study hours.
• Are the first head or deputy head of a Kazakhstani company with 100% foreign ownership (one such position per company).
• Are the first head of a branch or representative office of a foreign company.
• Are on a business trip lasting no more than 120 days in a calendar year.
• Hold an investor visa. This exemption does not extend to their family members.
• Work for a participant of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) or for Astana Hub as a manager or a specialist with higher education.
• Have arrived for independent employment based on a certificate confirming their qualifications meet the relevant requirements (explained below).

This is not an exhaustive list. Government Resolution No. 1041 contains 22 provisions, while Article 36-1 of the Law on Migration contains nine additional provisions.

An exemption applies only to the work permit requirement. Visa, registration, and other migration documents must still be obtained where required.

Citizens of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan generally need a work permit unless one of the exemptions applies to them.

Employer-sponsored work permit. The employer, whether a company or an individual, obtains the permit. This is the main way of hiring foreign workers. Permits are issued within the established quota, subject to a fee.

Certificate for independent employment. A foreign national can obtain this certificate personally if their profession is in demand in priority sectors. The certificate is issued for three months and can be extended for the duration of the employment contract, up to a maximum of three years.

Intra-corporate transfer. This applies when an employee is transferred to a branch, subsidiary, or representative office of a foreign company in Kazakhstan. The company must be registered in a WTO member country, and the employee must have at least one year of work experience with that company. The permit is issued for up to three years and may be extended for one additional year. It is issued free of charge and is not subject to the quota.

Permit for seasonal workers. The employer obtains this permit. It is issued for occupations included in the approved list for 90, 180, 270, or 365 days, without the possibility of extension.

Permit for a labour immigrant. The foreign national obtains this permit personally to work in a private household for an individual employer. It is issued for a period of one to 12 months. Advance payment of individual income tax (IIT) is required.

If a foreign company without a branch in Kazakhstan sends employees to the country, for example, to install equipment, the application must be submitted by the organisation for which the work is being performed.

Employer-sponsored permits are divided into four categories based on the foreign employee's position.

• Category 1 — executives and their deputies. The permit is issued for one, two, or three years and may be extended for one, two, or three years.
• Category 2 — heads of structural divisions. The permit is valid for 12 months and may be extended for the same period, up to three times.
• Category 3 — specialists. The permit is valid for 12 months and may be extended for another 12 months, up to three times.
• Category 4 — skilled workers. The permit is issued for 12 months and cannot be extended.
• Seasonal workers. The permit is issued for 90, 180, 270, or 365 days, depending on the employment period, and cannot be extended.

For Category 4, the employer must undertake to replace foreign workers with citizens of Kazakhstan within a period of six months to one year.

• Quota. For 2026, the quota is 0.3% of the workforce for employer-sponsored foreign workers and 2.85% for labour immigrants. A permit will not be issued if the regional quota has been exhausted.
• Share of Kazakhstani employees. Citizens of Kazakhstan must account for at least 70% of employees in Categories 1 and 2 (executives and heads of structural divisions) and at least 90% in Categories 3 and 4 (specialists and skilled workers). EAEU citizens are not counted as foreign workers for this calculation. These requirements do not apply to small businesses with up to 20 employees, government organisations, or branches and representative offices of foreign companies with up to 10 employees.
• Qualifications. The foreign national's education and work experience must meet the professional standards or qualification reference requirements applicable to the position.
• Vacancy on enbek.kz. The employer must first look for a candidate within Kazakhstan by publishing the vacancy on the electronic labour exchange. The application for a work permit may be submitted no earlier than 15 calendar days after publication. The vacancy publication code must be included in the application.

The employee must be of legal working age and have the required education and experience, a criminal record certificate, a medical certificate, and medical insurance.

To obtain an employer-sponsored permit, the following documents are required:

• Application — signed by the employer using an electronic digital signature (EDS).
• Foreign employee's details — full name, including the Latin-script spelling, date of birth, citizenship, passport details, education, and profession, taking the qualification requirements into account.
• Education documents — notarised copies translated into Kazakh or Russian and legalised or apostilled, unless an applicable international treaty provides an exemption.
• Employer's letter — confirming that the foreign employee's qualifications and experience meet the requirements of the position.
• Local workforce information (Form 1-MSK) — required except in cases exempted under the rules for small businesses, government organisations, and certain small branches and representative offices.
• Information on replacing foreign workers with citizens of Kazakhstan — required for Category 4.
• Contract or transfer letter — required when a foreign company sends employees to Kazakhstan without a local branch or transfers them to its subsidiary.

The document list for seasonal workers is shorter: an application, employee details, a copy of the passport, and proof of payment of the fee.

1. Check the exemptions. If the foreign national qualifies for an exemption, a work permit is not required.
2. Publish the vacancy on enbek.kz. Wait 15 calendar days.
3. Submit the application. Include the vacancy code and apply through egov.kz, elicense.kz, or migration.enbek.kz to the local executive authority responsible for the place where the foreign national will work.
4. Wait for the decision. The documents are checked for completeness within one working day. A decision is made within seven working days after registration, and a notification is sent to the applicant's personal account. If refusal is being considered, the employer is invited to a hearing and may submit objections within two working days.
5. Pay the fee. Payment must be made within 10 working days of receiving the notification. If the fee is not paid, the decision to issue the permit is cancelled.
6. Receive the permit. It is delivered to the personal account one working day after payment is confirmed.
7. Complete the employee's formalities. The visa or temporary residence permit must cover the validity period of the work permit. The employer registers the employment contract in the Unified System for Accounting Employment Contracts (ESUTD) and assists the foreign national in obtaining an Individual Identification Number (IIN).

The total processing time for the government service is up to 19 working days. A foreign national cannot start working under an employment contract before receiving the required permit. The employer may hire foreign labour only on the basis of that permit.

The employer pays a fee for each foreign employee. The amount depends on the employee's category, the permit's validity period, and the employer's industry. For example, the following rates apply in 2026 to information and communications technology and construction.

Information and communications

• Category 1, one year — 137 MCI (KZT 592,525).
• Category 1, two years — 274 MCI (KZT 1,185,050).
• Category 1, three years — 411 MCI (KZT 1,777,575).
• Category 2 — 158 MCI (KZT 683,350).
• Category 3 — 179 MCI (KZT 774,175).
• Category 4 — 200 MCI (KZT 865,000).

Construction

• Category 1, one year — 171 MCI (KZT 739,575).
• Category 1, two years — 342 MCI (KZT 1,479,150).
• Category 1, three years — 513 MCI (KZT 2,218,725).
• Category 2 — 198 MCI (KZT 856,350).
• Category 3 — 224 MCI (KZT 968,800).
• Category 4 — 250 MCI (KZT 1,081,250).

For seasonal workers, the fee is fixed: 12, 24, 36, or 48 MCI for permits valid for 90, 180, 270, or 365 days, respectively.

If a permit covers work in several regions of Kazakhstan, the fee must be paid to the budget of each region.

Permits for intra-corporate transfers and the reissuance of an existing permit to another employee are free of charge. The amounts above are calculated using the 2026 MCI of KZT 4,325. Rates for other industries are set out in Government Resolution No. 819.

• An extension application may be submitted no earlier than 60 calendar days and no later than 30 calendar days before the permit expires. The decision is made within two working days.
• If the employee does not arrive in Kazakhstan or leaves the job, the permit may be reissued to another foreign national for the remaining validity period. This service is free of charge.

Official grounds for refusal include false or inaccurate documents or information, failure by the employer or documents to meet the requirements, a court-imposed ban on the relevant activity, or refusal to consent to the processing of personal data.

In practice, failure to meet the requirements often involves the following issues:

• The regional quota has been exhausted.
• The foreign national's qualifications do not match the position.
• The employer does not meet the required share of Kazakhstani employees.
• The vacancy was not published on enbek.kz for the full 15-day period.

An issued permit may be revoked if the foreign national works in a position different from the one specified in the permit, if the employer violates the requirements concerning the share of Kazakhstani employees, or if the employer submits false documents. In the first two cases, new permits are not issued for 12 months.

• Whether a work permit is required or the foreign national qualifies for an exemption.
• Whether a quota is available in the relevant region and the employer meets the requirements concerning the share of Kazakhstani employees.
• Whether the candidate's education and work experience meet the requirements for the position.
• Whether notarised copies of education documents, with an apostille or legalisation where required, are ready.
• Which fee applies to the employer's industry and the employee's category.
• Which visa or temporary residence permit the employee will need after the work permit is issued.

If your situation is more complex — for example, you need to determine whether an employee qualifies for an exemption or calculate the required share of Kazakhstani employees — describe your task on LexiComb. Verified specialists in Kazakhstan will send you offers, allowing you to compare prices and timelines in a consistent format. Payment is made through the platform, and the specialist receives the money after you accept the completed work.