The Chairman of the Union of Builders of Kazakhstan (UBK), Talgat Yergaliyev, has called for simplifying the hiring process for foreign labor in Kazakhstan’s construction industry, citing a severe workforce shortage.
“Today, our young people prefer office jobs, and no one wants to work in production. Year after year, the number of workers in the labor market is shrinking, and even government agencies are facing staffing shortages. In the construction industry, this problem is even more pronounced,” Yergaliyev said during a joint press conference with the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan, Atameken. “That’s why we propose following Russia’s example by attracting foreign labor to the construction sector.”
However, Yergaliyev noted that Kazakhstan lacks mechanisms to support the large-scale hiring of migrant workers. By comparison, Russian construction companies pay 80,000 rubles ($790) annually for a patent to hire foreign workers, while a similar permit in Kazakhstan costs construction firms nearly double—700,000 KZT ($1,300) or more.
Yergaliyev also acknowledged that low wages are a significant factor deterring Kazakhs from working in construction. “To retain Kazakhstani workers on construction sites today, they must be paid between $800 and $2,000. Otherwise, they will move to other sectors where the work is less demanding,” he explained.
The labor shortage in Kazakhstan’s construction industry is reaching critical levels. According to The Times of Central Asia, there are currently about 111,000 unfilled vacancies in the sector, and authorities project that this deficit could double by 2030. Despite this growing need, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Labor and Social Protection reduced the foreign labor quota in November, potentially exacerbating the issue.
Yergaliyev’s proposal underscores the urgent need to address the labor shortfall while balancing fair wages for local workers with the costs of hiring migrant labor.
