Kazakhstan Immigration Services

Immigration Summary

The Local-Hire Work Permit for Managers, Specialists and Qualified Workers applies for all individuals hired locally to work in Kazakhstan (whether for a locally incorporated company, representative or branch office), on local payroll and contract. The work permit will be issued for one year and may be extended three times, to a total maximum of four years.

The applicant should fall under one of the below skill levels: Category 1 (directors/CEOs and deputy directors); Category 2 (managers and specialists); Category 3 (specialists); Category 4 (qualified workers).

Category 1 directors/CEOs and deputies of locally-incorporated, wholly-foreign-owned companies, and directors/CEOs only (not deputies) of representative or branch offices (on local contract) are work permit exempt. The Work Visa (First Category) is valid for an unlimited stay.

The Intra-Company Transfer Work Permit for Managers, Specialists and Qualified Workers applies for all individuals sent on assignment to work in Kazakhstan within the same group of companies and remaining on home contract and is valid for a stay of three years, renewable only once for up to one year.

Temporary assignments are permitted on a business visa for applicants going to Kazakhstan to install the sending company's own equipment or supervise their projects, provided that the stay is no longer than 60 days within a 180-day period.

The agreement on the free movement of workers between Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) countries waives the need for employees from Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Russia to hold work permits for employment in Kazakhstan, provided a signed employment contract with a local employer is in place. However, Address and Tax Registration are still required.