In the first quarter of 2026, the employed population in Kazakhstan reached 9.4 million people, an increase of 108,500 over the year. The main increase was driven by workers employed under employment contracts: their number increased by almost 150,000 to 7.29 million, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, Forbes.kz reports.
At the same time, the number of self-employed decreased by 41,000 to 2.1 million, while the number of independent workers decreased to 326,600. The unemployment rate remained at 4.5%, with youth unemployment at 3%. As of July 1, more than 249,600 people had found employment with the assistance of the state and employers, of which 96,400 were permanently employed.
The increase in the number of officially employed workers indicates the ongoing formalization of Kazakhstan's labor market.
Economic growth, development of industry, transport, construction, trade, and services are creating new jobs, while the expansion of formal employment is increasing coverage of the population by the pension system and social security.
Kazakhstan remains one of the leaders in Central Asia in terms of unemployment: at 4.5%, it is lower than in many neighboring countries in the region, where the labor market remains characterized by a higher share of informal employment and significant dependence on labor migration.
Unlike Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan's economy has a more diversified structure and a greater ability to create jobs within the country, which contributes to a gradual reduction in self-employment and strengthening the resilience of the national labor market.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
July 23, 2026