The person performs work in a specific qualification, specialty, profession or position.
Project teams & specialists
On-Demand Talent in Kazakhstan: flexible teams, compliant contracts
Add developers, analysts, project managers or field specialists in Almaty, Astana, Atyrau or remotely, for a sprint, a peak or a market test. We match each role to a model that stays compliant under Kazakhstan’s 2026 rules on civil-law contracts.
- Daysto a shortlist for common roles
- 3 modelsmatched to each role
- 1 invoicewith monthly reporting
01 What changed in 2026
Civil-law contracts with employment features now count as employment
Since 8 June 2026, Law No. 277-VIII bars civil-law contracts with individuals that contain any feature of an employment relationship. Such a contract is treated as an employment contract, whatever it is called.
The person personally carries out duties subject to your internal labour rules.
The person is paid for the work performed rather than for a defined result.
One feature is enough for Labour Code protections to apply. Source: EY Kazakhstan tax alert, May 2026 on Law No. 277-VIII and article 27 of the Labour Code.
02 Engagement models
Three compliant ways to add talent in Kazakhstan
Billing can be hourly, weekly or per project. What matters legally is who directs the work, for how long, and whether the person delivers a result or simply works for you.
| Criteria | Model 01Fixed-term employment | Model 02Project service contract | Model 03Employer of Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Sprints, peaks and temporary roles you direct day to day | Defined deliverables: migrations, dashboards, research, field projects | Ongoing roles when you have no Kazakhstan entity |
| Legal set-up | Employed through NNRoad on a fixed-term contract | Contract with a company or registered entrepreneur for a result | Open-ended employment through NNRoad |
| Who directs the work | You, within the contract term | The provider manages its own people | You, while NNRoad is the legal employer |
| Typical start | 1–3 weeks | 2–4 weeks | 2–3 weeks |
| Main compliance focus | Contract registration, hours, leave and KZT payroll | Clear scope and acceptance, so it is not disguised employment | Full Labour Code employment obligations |
Hiring for the long term? Employer of Record in Kazakhstan is usually the safer route.
03 Where it works best
Common on-demand roles in Kazakhstan
Almaty and Astana are the main hubs for tech and professional services; Atyrau and the west for energy and industrial projects. Remote and hybrid set-ups work across the country.
Tech and product
Backend, frontend and full-stack developers, DevOps and cloud engineers, product managers.
Data and QA
Data analysts, BI developers and manual or automation QA engineers.
Market entry
Business development, partnership managers and localisation in English, Russian and Kazakh.
Finance and operations
Reporting, HR operations support, procurement and vendor coordination.
Energy and industrial projects
On-site or hybrid coordinators and specialists for project phases.
04 Contractor or employee?
Avoid misclassification in Kazakhstan
If a contractor works like an employee, the relationship is treated as employment, with Labour Code rights, contributions and termination protections. Use these signals as a first check.
Signals of a genuine service contract
- Paid for defined deliverables or milestones, with acceptance
- The provider decides how and when the work is done
- Uses its own tools and can serve other clients
- Contract is with a company or registered entrepreneur, with a clear end
Signals that point to employment
- Works in a set position under your internal rules
- Fixed hours and daily supervision by your managers
- Regular monthly pay for time worked
- Repeated renewals for an ongoing role
Need the person long term, or managed like staff? Employer of Record is usually the safer route.
See Employer of Record in Kazakhstan05 How it works
From request to a working team, without restarting hiring
A short, structured process: scope, model, contract, then scale. You get a recommendation and a cost estimate before anyone starts.
Get a cost estimateForeign nationals need work authorisation; see Global Deployment in Kazakhstan.
- 01
Share the requirement
Role, skills, languages (English, Russian, Kazakh), time-zone overlap, start date, duration and whether on-site presence is needed.
30-minute call - 02
Choose the model and shortlist
We recommend fixed-term employment, a project contract or EOR, then send a shortlist with role-fit notes.
Days for common roles - 03
Contract and kick-off
Contracts are signed and registered, and scope, reporting and timesheet or deliverable cadence agreed.
1–3 weeks - 04
Scale up or down
Add capacity for peaks, release it when the sprint ends, or convert a key person to EOR employment.
Ongoing
06 Explore Kazakhstan
Related Kazakhstan services
Further reading: Kazakhstan compliance hub · Kazakhstan blog · Kazakhstan country overview
07 FAQs
On-Demand Talent FAQs
What companies ask before adding contractors or project teams in Kazakhstan.
Ask a specific questionCan I still hire freelancers in Kazakhstan on civil-law contracts?
Since 8 June 2026, a civil-law contract with an individual that has any feature of employment, such as work in a set position, under your internal rules and paid for labour, is treated as an employment contract. Genuine result-based contracts, typically with a company or registered entrepreneur, remain possible.
Is on-demand talent the same as Employer of Record?
No. On-demand talent covers flexible project capacity, while Employer of Record is for employing someone long term without your own entity. If a role is ongoing and managed like staff, EOR is usually safer.
How fast can a team start?
Shortlists for common roles such as developers, QA and analysts can arrive within days; niche skills take longer. Contracting and registration usually take one to three weeks.
Can we hire bilingual talent?
Yes. English with Russian and/or Kazakh is common for commercial, operations and reporting roles. Include language needs in your request so we can filter accurately.
What if a contractor is treated like an employee?
The relationship can be reclassified as employment, bringing Labour Code rights such as paid leave, overtime rules and termination protections, plus income tax, pension, medical and social payments.
Can foreign nationals work as on-demand talent?
Foreign nationals usually need a work permit or exemption before working in Kazakhstan; see Global Deployment in Kazakhstan.