Kazakhstan’s Young Workforce Grows, But Sectoral Gaps Persist
The youth labor market in Kazakhstan remains a vital topic amid the country’s ongoing economic transformation. According to analysts from Finprom.kz, approximately 1.8 million young people aged 15 to 28 were employed across the country in 2024, an increase of 0.6% compared to the previous year. Regional Distribution of Youth Employment The highest concentration of young workers is in Almaty, where 243,200 young people are employed, up 5% from 2023. Almaty is followed by the Turkestan region. In contrast, the Ulytau, North Kazakhstan, and Zhetysu regions recorded the lowest figures for youth employment. Of the total number of employed youth, 1.4 million (77.7%) work as salaried employees. Additionally, the country is home to 331,900 young individual entrepreneurs, 58,300 self-employed workers, 2,700 founders or participants in economic partnerships, joint-stock companies, or cooperatives, and 2,400 engaged in private practice. Sectoral Breakdown Among all employed young people, the largest group, 424,400 individuals, are professionals, although this marks a 1.3% decrease from the previous year. They are followed by service and sales workers (291,700), unskilled laborers (281,700), technical and support staff (195,100), and industrial, construction, and transport workers (142,600). In terms of industry sectors, youth are primarily employed in wholesale and retail trade, automotive repair, education, and agriculture, including forestry and fishing. The lowest youth employment is seen in utilities (water and electricity supply) and real estate. Youth Unemployment: A Gradual Decline Youth unemployment is on the decline. In 2024, the number of unemployed individuals aged 15 to 28 dropped to 62,000, a 6.7% decrease from 2023. The unemployment rate stood at 3.7% among 16 to 24-year-olds and 3% among those aged 25 to 28. For comparison, the overall unemployment rate for the working-age population in Kazakhstan reached 4.7%. Almaty recorded the highest number of unemployed youth (11,100), followed by Astana (7,800) and the Almaty region (7,700). Ulytau, Pavlodar, and North Kazakhstan regions reported the lowest youth unemployment figures. As for the length of time spent job hunting in 2024, 18,200 young people searched for one to three months, 16,200 for three to six months, and 16,000 for less than a month. A smaller share, 7,500, searched for more than six months, and 4,000 had been looking for work for over a year. Broader Context and Causes of Unemployment Nationwide, 448,200 Kazakhstani citizens were unemployed in the fourth quarter of 2024. The unemployment rate was 4.2% among men (211,100) and 5.1% among women (237,100). The most affected age groups were 35 to 54 (256,900 people) and 55 to 64 (69,700). The most frequently cited reasons for unemployment included family responsibilities (61,400), layoffs or company closures (50,300), and difficulty finding suitable jobs (112,500). Other contributing factors were domestic duties (44,200), health issues (17,500), and challenges securing employment post-graduation (16,600). Policy Implications Experts highlight the importance of developing flexible employment policies tailored to the evolving labor market. Enhancing conditions for self-employment and youth entrepreneurship is seen as a potential key strategy for reducing youth unemployment in the long term.
