Foreign Worker Categories and Permit Terms
Updated: October 2026
Almost everything depends on the worker's category: how long the permit is issued for, whether it can be extended, how much the fee is and what share of Kazakhstan citizens the company must keep on staff. The category is determined by the position, not by the employer's wishes — and getting it wrong is one of the most common reasons for refusal.
Four categories of foreign workers
| Category | Who | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| First | heads and their deputies | director, deputy director |
| Second | heads of structural units | head of department, head of service |
| Third | specialists | engineer, accountant, IT specialist |
| Fourth | skilled workers | welder, fitter, equipment operator |
For the second, third and fourth categories, the worker must meet the qualification requirements for the position under professional standards and qualification handbooks. Both education and work experience are checked.
Seasonal workers form a separate group: they are hired for no more than a year for season-dependent work from an approved list of occupations.
Permit terms and extensions
| Category | Permit term | Extension |
|---|---|---|
| First | 1, 2 or 3 years | for 1, 2 or 3 years |
| Second and third | 12 months | 12 months at a time, up to 3 times |
| Fourth | 12 months | not extendable |
| Seasonal workers | 90, 180, 270 or 365 days | not extendable |
So a second- or third-category specialist can work under one permit with extensions for up to four years. For how and when to extend, see Work permit extension.
Special condition for the fourth category
When obtaining a permit for skilled workers, the employer undertakes to replace them with citizens of Kazakhstan within 6–12 months, in the same or other fourth-category positions. The employer records the replacement in a state information system. The fourth category is therefore a solution for a limited period, not for years ahead.
Share of Kazakhstan citizens on staff
A permit is issued and extended only if the company keeps the required share of Kazakhstan citizens:
- at least 70% of first- and second-category staff;
- at least 90% of third- and fourth-category staff.
Citizens of EAEU countries are not counted as foreigners in this calculation. The requirement does not apply, for example, to small businesses with up to 20 employees, state organisations and branches of foreign companies with up to 10 employees. If the share is breached, the most recently issued permits are revoked.
Intra-corporate transfer
When a foreign company transfers an employee to its Kazakhstan branch, subsidiary or representative office, separate categories apply: heads, managers and specialists. Conditions:
- the sending company is registered in a WTO member country;
- the employee has worked for it for at least a year;
- the permit is issued for the transfer period, but no longer than three years, and can be extended once for 12 months;
- foreign managers and specialists may make up no more than half the number of Kazakhstan citizens in the same category;
- the employer accepts one special condition: training, retraining or upskilling Kazakhstan staff, or creating new jobs.
No fee is charged for such permits.
Category and fee
The higher the category and the longer the term, the higher the fee: for example, in base-rate industries from 158 MRP for a second-category specialist to 411 MRP for a three-year permit for a manager. See the full table on the Work permit fee page.
How Workmigration helps
We will determine the category from the worker's position and qualifications before filing, check the share of local staff and advise which permit term is more cost-effective.
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Message us on WhatsAppFAQ
Who determines the worker's category?
The category follows from the position and its requirements under the qualification handbooks. If the wrong category is stated, the permit will be refused.
Can a permit for a fourth-category worker be extended?
No. A fourth-category permit is issued for 12 months without extension.
How many times can a specialist's permit be extended?
For the second and third categories — up to three times, 12 months each.
Are citizens of Russia and Kyrgyzstan counted as foreigners?
No, EAEU citizens are not counted as foreigners when calculating the share of local staff.
How long is an intra-corporate transfer permit valid?
For the transfer period, but no longer than three years, with one extension of 12 months.
More guides
Work Permit ExtensionWhen to apply to extend a permit to hire foreign labour, who can extend it and how many times, and what happens if the deadline is missed.
Reissuing a Work PermitWhen a permit to hire foreign labour can be reissued to another worker, after a passport change or company reorganisation, and why it cannot be transferred to another employer.
Work Permit Fee in 2026: Rates and Amounts in TengeFee rates for issuing and extending a permit to hire foreign labour from 1 January 2026, by category and industry, in MRP and tenge.