Kazakhstan has approved a quota for attracting foreign labor in 2026 as part of measures to protect the domestic labor market, QazMonitor reports, citing the press service of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population.
According to the ministry, Kazakhstan annually sets and distributes quotas for hiring foreign workers based on employers’ needs. For 2026, the total quota has been set at 0.25% of the country’s total labor force.
The quota for foreign labor in 2026 will be distributed across four categories:
Category 1 – company executives and their deputies: 726 permits
Category 2 – heads of structural divisions: 3,402 permits
Category 3 – specialists: 5,893 permits
Category 4 – skilled workers: 3,131 permits
In addition, up to 4,994 foreign workers may be hired for seasonal work.
Separately, the quota for labor immigrants employed in private households in 2026 has been set at 2.9% of the national labor force.
As of December 1, 2025, a total of 14,103 foreign nationals were working in Kazakhstan under permits issued by local executive authorities.