News https://kazimmigration.kz ru Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:44:13 +0300 What will change in the lives of Kazakhstanis starting January 1, 2026 https://kazimmigration.kz/tpost/yfy2g3v0t1-what-will-change-in-the-lives-of-kazakhs https://kazimmigration.kz/tpost/yfy2g3v0t1-what-will-change-in-the-lives-of-kazakhs?amp=true Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:09:00 +0300 Starting January 1, 2026, changes to taxes, social benefits, SMSI (Social Health Insurance), digital services, and state fees will come into force in Kazakhstan. Here is what exactly will change and who it will affect.

What will change in the lives of Kazakhstanis starting January 1, 2026

From January 1, 2026, large-scale changes come into force in Kazakhstan across various spheres of citizens' lives, related to social benefits, the tax system, digitalization, and other regulations.
Income Indicators and Social Benefits

New baseline financial benchmarks have been established:

  • Minimum wage (MW) — 85,000 tenge;
  • Monthly calculation index (MCI) — 4,325 tenge;
  • Minimum pension — 69,049 tenge;
  • Minimum basic pension payment — 35,596 tenge;
  • Subsistence minimum — 50,851 tenge.

Additionally, an increase of approximately 10% for all types of state benefits and pensions is provided for in accordance with the republican budget for 2026–2028.
Tax Reform and the New Tax Code

The updated Tax Code is in effect from January 1, providing for:

  • simplification of tax administration, alongside a reduction in the number of taxes and reporting requirements;
  • changes to VAT rates, including a base rate of 16% and reduced rates for medical services and medicines;
  • new rules for income taxation and simplifications for businesses.
Digitalization and Electronic Services

A moratorium is being introduced on the creation of new information systems for government agencies outside the QazTech unified "e-government" platform. Additionally, the rules for electronic digital signatures (EDS) are being updated, making an organization's EDS equivalent to the handwritten signature of its head.
Social Health Insurance (SMSI)

Citizens who have paid contributions to the mandatory social health insurance system for at least five years will be able to maintain their insured status for up to 6 months during a temporary break in contribution payments. Previously, this period was 3 months.
Documents and Government Services

Due to the increase in the MCI, state fees for issuing documents—such as passports and driver's licenses—will also rise. At the same time, the initial issuance or replacement of an ID card will be free of charge.
Other Changes

Starting from 2026, additional rules will come into effect regarding the housing sector, building energy efficiency, and the licensing of exchange activities. Furthermore, mechanisms for social control of mobile money transfers through banking systems have been strengthened.
Source: Zakon.kz
]]> A court in Kazakhstan has arrested and expelled a Chinese citizen https://kazimmigration.kz/tpost/ed0vycs9v1-a-court-in-kazakhstan-has-arrested-and-e https://kazimmigration.kz/tpost/ed0vycs9v1-a-court-in-kazakhstan-has-arrested-and-e?amp=true Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:09:00 +0300 In the East Kazakhstan Region, a court found a foreign national guilty of repeated violations of migration legislation and illegal mining, ordering his arrest and expulsion from the country.

A court in Kazakhstan has arrested and expelled a Chinese citizen

In the East Kazakhstan Region, a court reviewed a case against a Chinese citizen who had repeatedly violated Kazakhstan's migration rules. The case involved a repeated administrative offense committed by the foreigner after already being held liable under a migration article of the Code of Administrative Offenses.
The Ulken Naryn District Court established that the man had already been penalized in June 2025 for violating migration legislation. However, he broke the law again—this time by engaging in illegal mining without the appropriate permits.
During the court session, the defendant fully pleaded guilty and repented of his actions, according to the court's press service. This admission was taken into account during the review of the case.
The court found the Chinese citizen guilty and sentenced him to one day of administrative arrest, followed by expulsion from the Republic of Kazakhstan. The ruling has already entered into force.
Under the same provisions of migration legislation, approximately 35 more similar administrative cases were reviewed in the region.
Source: TengriNews
]]> The workforce shortage is growing: Kazakhstan proposes attracting more migrant workers https://kazimmigration.kz/tpost/nd35mc08d1-the-workforce-shortage-is-growing-kazakh https://kazimmigration.kz/tpost/nd35mc08d1-the-workforce-shortage-is-growing-kazakh?amp=true Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:09:00 +0300 Against the backdrop of large-scale infrastructure projects, a Mazhilis member initiated a proposal to ease the rules for attracting foreign labor and to review the migration policy.

The workforce shortage is growing: Kazakhstan proposes attracting more migrant workers

Mazhilis Parliament Member Yerlan Barlybayev initiated a proposal to ease the rules for attracting foreign labor to Kazakhstan and to increase quotas for migrant workers. According to him, the country is entering a period of implementing large-scale infrastructure projects—ranging from the construction of thermal power plants and three nuclear power plants to the development of the transport network, housing and communal services, and other sectors—which will require a massive number of working hands.
Barlybayev recalled that according to forecasts by the Workforce Development Center, between 2025 and 2035, the total number of required employees could reach around 3 million people, of which more than 800,000 are in blue-collar occupations. The workforce shortage is expected to be particularly acute in industry and construction.
The MP also noted that in recent years, the number of legal entities in the country has been steadily growing, but this does not always mean the creation of a sufficient number of high-quality jobs. He emphasized that Kazakhstan is already an attractive labor market today due to relatively high wage levels compared to other Central Asian countries, especially against the backdrop of tightening migration policies in Europe and Russia.
Barlybayev also pointed to the issue of illegal employment among foreign workers, which, in his view, creates additional corruption risks. In connection with this, he proposed the following measures:

  • Easing the conditions for attracting foreign workers, guaranteeing them labor rights and access to social services, while placing the responsibility for compliance on employers.
  • Increasing quotas for migrants and simplifying the procedures for obtaining them in sectors experiencing a workforce shortage.
  • Introducing an additional tax on migrant workers to flexibly regulate their numbers by adjusting the tax rate.
The MP is confident that with proper regulation, migration flows can become not only a solution to the worker shortage problem but also a stimulus for economic growth and the strengthening of social stability.
Earlier data from the Ministry of Labor showed that more than 15,000 foreign citizens officially work in Kazakhstan, with the majority employed in construction and agriculture. The largest groups of migrant workers arrive from China, Uzbekistan, Turkey, and India. At the same time, the state establishes annual quotas for attracting foreign labor—in 2025, it was within the range of 0.2–0.25% of the workforce, or approximately 14.8 to 19.4 thousand permits.
Source: TengriNews
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