ASTANA — Kazakhstan adopted a new migration policy concept until 2030 in December last year, setting out a revised approach to migration aimed at making it more orderly, transparent, and beneficial for the country.
Photo credit: gov.kz
The new migration policy introduces several concrete measures. It includes a points-based system for permanent residency to select migrants based on skills and integration potential, and targeted recruitment of foreign workers only for regions and sectors with labor shortages.
Among other measures are stronger protections for Kazakh citizens working abroad, incentives and support for relocating to labor-short regions, and full digitalization of migration management to track internal and external flows, improve enforcement, and curb illegal migration.
In his September state-of-the-nation address, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said uncontrolled migration is placing a severe strain on infrastructure in Kazakhstan’s largest cities, citing Astana as a prime example and announcing plans for a unified digital system to track migration flows. Back then, he said the situation had been exacerbated by the absence of centralized migration data and instructed the government to introduce a unified digital system to monitor migration flows both within the country and from abroad.
What the numbers show
According to the Bureau of National Statistics, between January and December last year, 23,761 people moved to Kazakhstan, while 7,608 left, resulting in a net migration balance of 16,153.
At the same time, overall migration activity declined. Compared to the same period in 2024, arrivals fell by 20.7%, while departures dropped by 40.5%.
Migration within the Commonwealth of Independent States, a regional grouping of nine countries, including Russia, remains dominant. Nationals from CIS accounted for 81.8% of arrivals and 71.8% of departures, showing that regional migration continues to shape Kazakhstan’s migration trends.
Why was a new migration policy needed?
The migration policy concept is part of the government’s long-term planning framework and focuses on three key goals, said the Migration Committee of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection in a comment for this story.
The initiative is designed to sharpen the targeting and efficiency of public spending on migration and social support, encourage more balanced regional development by easing population pressure on major cities, and fully digitalize migration governance through a single system for monitoring and decision-making.
Officials say the measures will strengthen preparedness for external migration risks, establish a more effective framework for registering and integrating migrants, curb incentives for illegal migration, and bolster economic growth by improving the quality of human capital.
A new system for choosing permanent migrants
Among the major changes is the launch of a points-based system for permanent residence, applicable to both foreign citizens and ethnic Kazakhs.
“Applicants will be assessed before entering Kazakhstan based on factors such as age, health, education, work experience, language skills, legal history, income stability, and willingness to live and work in the country long term,” the committee told The Astana Times.
The process will include tests, questionnaires, and interviews with successful applicants moving on to residence permits and, if eligible, qandas status, a designation for ethnic Kazakhs returning to Kazakhstan. The system will operate via the migration.enbek.kz platform and use digital tools, including artificial intelligence.
The goal, according to officials, is to attract migrants who can integrate quickly, work legally, and contribute to society.
Targeted approach to foreign workers
Under the new policy, foreign worker recruitment will be aligned with clearly defined job categories, industries, and regions experiencing labor shortages.
Priority will be given to highly qualified specialists. At the same time, the policy aims to boost productivity, encourage skills transfer, and gradually replace foreign labor with trained Kazakh professionals.
“Foreign workers will still be needed in construction, agriculture, and services. Regions with large investment projects, such as Atyrau, West Kazakhstan, and Aktobe, will remain key destinations. Almaty and Astana will continue to attract workers, but the government plans to better regulate labor inflows to avoid overcrowding,” the ministry said.
As of Dec. 1 last year, 14,103 foreign citizens were working in Kazakhstan under official permits. Most came from China, Uzbekistan, Türkiye, and India, and were employed mainly in construction, agriculture, mining, and manufacturing.
In 2025, the foreign labor quota was reduced to 16,700 people. For 2026, it is set at 0.25% of the total workforce.
Protecting citizens working abroad
The measures include stronger protections for Kazakh citizens working abroad, aimed at promoting legal, organized employment channels.
The government plans to improve support through embassies, provide clearer pre-departure information, expand cooperation with host countries, and increase oversight of private employment agencies. Digital tools will be used to monitor external labor migration, according to the committee.
Encouraging relocation to the regions
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has repeatedly warned that uncontrolled migration is putting heavy pressure on major cities, especially Astana.
Over the past three years, Astana’s population has grown by more than 250,000 people. Infrastructure designed for 1.5 million residents now serves nearly 1.9 million. Schools, hospitals, and utilities are operating at capacity, while budget pressures continue to rise.
He criticized inefficient regional spending that drives people to the capital and called for creating alternative centers of economic growth, analyzing the causes of migration, and applying the principle that “funding follows citizens.” This means government resources should support people directly, allowing them to access services and opportunities in their own regions rather than being forced to move to the capital.
There were previously government-level efforts to rebalance internal migration. One of them is the voluntary South-to-North resettlement program, launched in 2017, which sought to address demographic decline and labor shortages in northern regions while easing pressure in the south.
Implemented under state employment and regional development initiatives, the program provides relocation payments, housing subsidies, and support for employment or entrepreneurship.
According to government figures, since the program’s launch until December 2025, 66,200 people have relocated to the northern regions. However, officials have acknowledged that the initiative has not reversed demographic decline in northern regions, as population losses persist and some returned to their original place of residence. Of that number, 3,600, or 6%, later returned to their previous place of residence.
Building on earlier mechanisms, the new policy promotes relocation to labor-short regions through financial incentives, including relocation payments, rent support, and housing assistance. Employment support will be provided through labor mobility centers, while digital monitoring will help manage urban population growth. A new 2025-2028 roadmap includes 180 measures across eight regions, focusing on better living conditions, job fairs, awareness campaigns, and regional development.
Digitalization
The policy places strong emphasis on digitalizing migration management. Lack of centralized data weakens forecasting and decision-making.
At a Jan. 26 meeting, Tokayev called full digitalization of migration regulation a critical task, noting that Kazakhstan’s role as a transit hub and destination for migrants is growing. He instructed the government and the National Security Committee to speed up work on digital registration and monitoring systems.
