Hiring in Kazakhstan

The contract sets out role, salary in KZT, working time, leave, notice and any probation. The EOR is the counterparty to the employee, which is what removes the need for your own entity.

Contracts are drafted in Kazakh or Russian, with an English version added where needed, and must be filed in the state register of employment contracts within five working days.

Fixed-term contracts must run for at least a year and become indefinite after two extensions, so most EORs default to indefinite terms. Since June 2026, a contractor agreement with an individual that has even one feature of employment is treated as an employment contract by law.

Set probation in the contract from day one. It cannot be added after signing, and any absence pauses the clock. A failed probation must rest on objective evidence about the employee's qualification.

Some EORs shorten probation as policy because they, not you, carry the dismissal risk. Ask before you agree a start date.

Overtime is paid at no less than 1.5 times the normal rate, needs the employee's written consent and is capped at 2 hours a day, 12 a month and 120 a year.

Senior professional hires are covered too, and since a June 2026 Constitutional Court ruling, unpaid overtime can be claimed back for three years. Put the position in writing and track the hours.

The 24 days are calendar days, roughly 17 working days, so convert before you compare with other countries. Constitution Day moved from 30 August to 15 March in 2026, so check holiday calendars set up before the change.

Sick pay comes from the employer's own funds rather than social insurance. Maternity leave runs to 126 days and is paid through state social insurance, and childcare leave until the child turns three is unpaid by the employer but partly covered by a state benefit, so confirm what the EOR tops up.

Employers may only dismiss on one of 27 grounds listed in the Labour Code, while employees resign on one month's notice. Redundancy and liquidation trigger one month's average pay, two months for a decline in output, and pregnant women, women with children under three and sole parents cannot be made redundant.

The EOR runs the process as the legal employer and will want the paperwork in order, including final pay within three working days, unused leave and any statutory severance. Mutual agreement is common and often cleaner. Unlawful dismissal can end in reinstatement with up to six months' back pay, so keep a documented reason.

Voluntary medical insurance on top of the state scheme is common for professional roles even though it is not mandatory.

EORs often bundle benefits through a group scheme. Ask what is included in the fee and what is billed on top.

Employer charges add about 17.5% on top of gross salary for local hires: 6% social tax, 5% social contributions, 3% medical insurance and 3.5% pension, with caps on all but social tax. That is before the EOR fee.

The pension step-up is the trap. The employer rate rises to 4.5% in 2027 and 5% in 2028, so a cost model built on 2026 rates will understate the next two years.

Ask whether the EOR sponsors directly or refers to a partner. A partner-model EOR often cannot sponsor at all, and the regional quota and the 70% and 90% local-staff ratios apply to the sponsor, not to you. Nationals of Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan need no permit.

Quota requests for the following year are due by the end of September. Set start dates after approval, not before.

Get the data processing terms in the service agreement, not just the privacy notice. Personal data must be stored in a database located in Kazakhstan, and cross-border transfers need the employee's consent unless the recipient country protects personal data.

Ask where payroll data is hosted and who in the partner chain can see it.

Registering an LLP (TOO) is quick and can be done online, but the running cost is the point: an IIN for each foreign founder and director collected in person, a local legal address, a bank account, accounting, monthly tax payments and quarterly payroll declarations set an annual floor.

Permanent establishment risk is about what people do, not where payroll sits. Revenue-generating activity can create exposure regardless of the employment route.