Obtaining a work permit

A long-standing practice of Licenses & Work Permits to provide high-quality services relating to the execution of the documents required to obtain permits or licenses turned our Firm into a leader in the market of legal assistance and support through permission and licensing procedures.  Our ongoing efforts to professionally assist our Clients in obtaining, extending and renewing work permits for their foreign employees in the Republic of Kazakhstan make it possible for us to take due and anticipatory account of any and all specifics of the process and to minimize the Clients’ risks and time/financial burden.  The exceptional quality of our work and operational excellence of our lawyers will let you achieve the desired results with utmost efficiency within the shortest possible time.

There are two types of work permits: (i) fee-based work permits requiring the payment of a government fee and (ii) free work permits for intragroup secondees.

The fee-based work permit issuance process consists of the following steps:

Step One. The required documents are filed with the competent government authority which, within 7 business days, must review the documents and make a decision on the issuance or denial of a work permit.

  • In order to obtain a work permit, the employer must meet the following HR local content requirements:
    1. the number of the first-category and second-category foreign employees must not exceed 30% of the total number of the first-category and second-category personnel; and
    2. the number of the third-category and fourth-category foreign employees must not exceed 10% of the total number of the third-category and fourth-category personnel.
  • The competent government authority evaluates qualifications (education and experience) of engaged expatriates.

Step Two. The applicant must pay the relevant fee within 10 business days after the receipt of a notice from the competent authority.

Step 3. The competent authority issues a 12-month work permit.

The free work permit issuance process consists of the following steps:

Step One. Vacancies are identified and checked against the Kazakhstan labour market supply through a candidate search on the domestic labour market, for which purpose the applicant must inform the regional employment department of the vacancies.

Step Two: The required documents are filed with the competent government authority which, within 7 business days, must review the documents and make a decision on the issuance or denial of a work permit.

  • In order to obtain a free work permit the employer must ensure that the number of the relevant category foreign employees does not exceed 50% of the total number of the relevant category Kazakhstan employees.
  • A work permit will not be issued without an official response from the regional employment department on the availability/lack of candidates on the domestic labour market.
  • The employer must undertake any of the following commitments:
    1. professional training of Kazakhstan nationals in the occupation of the employed foreign national; or
    2. re-training of Kazakhstan nationals in the occupation of the employed foreign national; or
    3. professional development of Kazakhstan nationals; or
    4. creation of new jobs for Kazakhstan nationals in the occupation of the employed foreign national.
  • The competent government authority evaluates qualifications (education and experience) of expatriates engaged by an employer incorporated in a member state of the World Trade Organisation and located/operating outside the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Step Three: The competent authority issues a work permit for a period specified in the relevant employment contract but not longer than three years.

For more details and fees of Licenses & Work Permits please contact our Firm via the specified email of the contact person or telephone number +7(727)329-34-92.