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Expansion of labor quotas in Kazakhstan leads to an increase in foreign workforce, now counting 14,000 foreign workers.

Expanded labor quotas in Kazakhstan contribute to a foreign workforce of 14,000 individuals.

, and Administrator

2025 September 8 . 4:38 PM

2 min read

Expanded quotas lead to an increase in foreign labor force in Kazakhstan, now standing at 14,000.

Expansion of labor quotas in Kazakhstan leads to an increase in foreign workforce, now counting 14,000 foreign workers.

In Kazakhstan, the number of foreign workers has been on the rise, with a variety of industries relying on their skills and expertise. As of August 1, 2022, 14,130 foreign citizens are officially employed in the country under work permits, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population.

China is the leading source of foreign workers in Kazakhstan, with 5,120 employees. Uzbekistan follows closely with 2,478 employees, and India ranks fourth with 1,031 employees. Türkiye follows with 1,042 foreign employees.

The mining and quarrying sector employs 1,369 foreign workers, while the largest share of foreign employees works in construction (4,949). The agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector also employs 2,930 foreign workers.

Interestingly, more than 2,889 foreigners are engaged in seasonal work, and the list of eligible seasonal professions has been expanded. The largest employers of foreign workers planned for 2025 in Kazakhstan are primarily in the mining sector, especially in copper and aluminum industries, driven by major Chinese investments totaling billions of USD.

Starting August 2025, Kazakhstan has expanded the quota for attracting foreign specialists to 19,400 positions, up from the initial 14,800 positions or 0.2% of the national labor force. This decision was made to meet the demands of domestic processing, particularly in the mining sector.

It's worth noting that more than 348,000 Kazakh citizens work alongside foreign workers, accounting for 96% of the total workforce. Corporate transfers account for 3,744 foreigners, and 2,258 permits were allocated to heads of structural divisions, with 549 granted to top managers and their deputies.

The majority of foreign employees fall into the specialist category (3,786), followed by the qualified worker category (904). As the number of foreign workers continues to grow, it's clear that they play a significant role in Kazakhstan's economy.