A local employer applies for a permit to attract foreign labour. It cannot be transferred to another employer.
Work permits & expat employment
Global Deployment in Kazakhstan: work permits & expat employment
Move foreign specialists and managers to Kazakhstan on the right route. We plan the employer permit or exemption, labour-market test, C3 visa, arrival registration, temporary residence, employment contract and KZT payroll on one timeline.
- ≈19 daysstatutory permit review
- 3 daysto register arrival
- Since 2005cross-border experience
01 Kazakhstan work permits at a glance
Key facts before you send staff to Kazakhstan
In Kazakhstan the work permit is issued to the employer, not the employee, and is tied to a quota, a job category and a region. These are the numbers employers plan around.
The vacancy is first offered to local candidates through the electronic labour exchange before the employer files.
At least 70% of managers and 90% of specialists and skilled workers must be Kazakhstan citizens, with exemptions for small employers.
Set by sector and category: about KZT 0.6–2.2 million per permit at the 2026 MRP of KZT 4,325. Intra-corporate transfers are free.
Citizens of Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Russia work on an employment contract; registration rules still apply.
Permits are issued within a national quota split into executives, heads of units, specialists and skilled workers.
Indicative 2026 figures. Requirements differ by category, sector and region and are confirmed case by case. Sources: eGov work permit guidance and 2026 foreign labour quota.
02 How it works
From hiring decision to first payday in Kazakhstan
Each step depends on the one before it. We run the sequence so job titles, salaries and dates match across every file and nothing is filed late.
Check my timelineTimelines are indicative and depend on the route, document legalisation and government queues.
- 01
Confirm the route
Nationality, role, category and work city decide whether the case needs a standard permit, an EAEU route, an intra-corporate transfer or another exemption.
Week 1 - 02
Labour-market test
The vacancy is posted on the electronic labour exchange for 15 calendar days and the local-content ratio is checked.
15 days - 03
Permit application
The employer applies online, receives a decision and pays the fee within 10 working days of approval.
≈19 working days - 04
Work visa and entry
The employee obtains a C3 work visa or enters under the applicable visa-free regime for the route.
1–3 weeks - 05
Arrival and residence
The employer notifies the migration service within 3 working days, the employee gets an IIN, and a temporary residence permit is issued for up to one year, with fingerprinting.
First weeks - 06
Employment, payroll and renewals
The contract is registered within 5 working days, payroll runs in KZT and renewals or extensions are diarised before expiry.
Ongoing
03 Routes and categories
Which permit category fits the role?
The category is set by the position, not the person, and it decides validity, extensions and how much local-content pressure the case carries.
| Route | Typical rolesWho it covers | ValidityInitial term | RenewalExtensions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | Heads of organisations and their deputies | 1 to 3 years | Extendable |
| Categories 2 and 3 | Heads of structural units and specialists | 12 months | Up to three extensions |
| Category 4 | Skilled workers | 12 months | No extension |
| Intra-corporate transfer | Managers and specialists with 1+ year in the group | Up to 3 years | One 1-year extension; no quota or fee |
Company-side documents
- Job title, duties, category, work city and salary
- Corporate documents of the employing or sponsoring entity
- Vacancy posting and local-content headcount data
- Business justification, or intra-group transfer evidence
Employee-side documents
- Passport with sufficient validity
- Diplomas and proof of experience matching the category
- Translations into Kazakh or Russian, with apostille or legalisation
- Civil documents for accompanying family members
Exemptions also exist, for example for EAEU citizens, certain business trips and Astana International Financial Centre participants. Official references: temporary residence permits and migration legislation Q&A.
04 What NNRoad handles
One team for the permit, the employment and the payroll
Immigration, HR and payroll often sit with different vendors, which is where mismatched files and missed deadlines start. We keep them on one checklist.
- Route and category planning before anything is filed
- Labour-market test, permit filing and fee payment
- Visa support, arrival notification, IIN and residence permit
- Local employment contract, registration and KZT payroll
- Renewals, amendments and closure when the assignment ends
Common causes of delay we help you avoid
05 Explore Kazakhstan
Related Kazakhstan services
Further reading: Kazakhstan compliance hub · Kazakhstan blog · Kazakhstan country overview
06 FAQs
Global Deployment FAQs
What employers ask most before moving foreign staff to Kazakhstan.
Ask a specific questionCan a foreign company employ a foreign national in Kazakhstan without a local entity?
The permit is issued to a Kazakhstan employer, so a local employing structure is needed. If you have no entity, NNRoad’s Employer of Record in Kazakhstan can act as the employer where the role and route allow it.
Does every foreign national need a work permit?
No. Citizens of EAEU states work on an employment contract without a permit, and intra-corporate transferees, certain business trips and some other categories are exempt. Most other foreign employees need an employer permit within the annual quota.
How long does a Kazakhstan work permit take?
Plan for the 15-day vacancy posting plus about 19 working days for the decision and fee payment, then visa and arrival steps. Document legalisation often decides the real timeline.
Is a business visa enough to work in Kazakhstan?
No. If the real purpose is ongoing work, the case needs an employment-based route, usually with a C3 work visa, a permit or exemption, and local registration.
What happens after the employee arrives?
The employer notifies the migration service within 3 working days, the employee gets an IIN, and a temporary residence permit for work is issued for up to one year at a time, with fingerprinting.
Can family members accompany the employee?
Usually yes, but dependants need their own civil documents and residence steps, and dependant status does not give a spouse the right to work.