Work Permits for Kazakhstan

Foreigners wishing to take up employment in Kazakhstan will need a valid work visa and work permit. The Kazakhstani government has been making an effort to streamline the visa application process, but the bureaucratic remnants of Soviet rule still linger, making application a cumbersome process.

Nevertheless, as long as prospective expats are careful to ensure that all their documentation is in order, they should eventually be granted their valid work visa for Kazakhstan.

Applying for work permits for Kazakhstan

In Kazakhstan, there are two important documents that a foreign worker must obtain to take up employment in the country.

The first is a work permit, which the employer applies for on behalf of the foreign worker or workers he or she plans to employ. The second is a work visa, which allows the foreign worker to enter Kazakhstan for the purposes of taking up employment.

First, the employer must arrange and apply for a work permit on the expat worker's behalf. The government has annual quotas for the number of foreigners allowed in each profession. Work permits will only be granted in cases where the quota has not yet been met.

Once the relevant authorities have authorised the work permit, the expat must then apply for their work visa. The length of validity varies, but work visas are extendable by one year as long as employees can present their current work permit and a contract confirming the continuation of the job.

*Visa regulations and requirements for work permits are subject to change at short notice, and expats should contact their respective embassy or consulate for the latest details.