Kazakh PM: Work Exists for Those Who Want It Amid 845,000 Vacancies

Kazakhstan's Labour Market: 845,000 Vacancies and a Blue-Collar Gap

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov pushed back against the idea that there is no work in Kazakhstan, telling a government meeting that demand for workers remains high, especially in working professions. Employers posted 845,000 vacancies on the Electronic Labour Exchange since the start of the year, of which 432,000 were for blue-collar positions.

The figures set out a clear tension. Labour Minister Askarbek Yertayev said 60–70% of citizens find work through the exchange, yet 30–40% of listed vacancies remain unfilled. To keep operations running, employers bring in foreign workers—around 300,000 foreign citizens a year, according to the Ministry of Labour. "We are forced to attract thousands of specialists from abroad so the work does not stop," Bektenov said, adding that this must be properly explained so the public does not conclude there is no work.

Official forecasts suggest demand will only grow. By 2035, the ministry expects Kazakhstan to need 2.9 million workers, 1.8 million of them in working professions. The current labour force is 9.8 million, with 9.4 million employed and an employment rate of around 96%. The tightest needs are in industry, construction, agriculture and IT, prompting a plan to expand the list of in-demand professions from 51 to 174 specialties.

The government also set out funding plans: 60 billion tenge for training blue-collar specialists in 2026, rising to 95 billion in 2027 and 80 billion in 2028. Sector officials gave specific shortages—construction needs 16,200 workers, manufacturing 14,400, transport about 57,000, and agriculture will require about 73,000 qualified working specialists by 2035. Technology is changing the mix as well: industry and construction have identified 75 new professions and 41 specialties being transformed, while transport has defined 31 new roles.

Why Kazakhstan Has Unfilled Jobs and Foreign Workers at the Same Time

The mismatch behind the 30–40% unfilled positions

The coexistence of unfilled vacancies and foreign hiring is not evidence that no jobs exist; it points to a structural mismatch. Labour Minister Askarbek Yertayev said 60–70% of job seekers who use the Electronic Labour Exchange find work, but 30–40% of posted vacancies remain unfilled. That gap suggests the available roles—more than half of them working professions—are not matching the skills, location or preferences of domestic job seekers. When employers cannot fill positions locally, they turn to foreign workers, with the ministry putting annual arrivals at about 300,000.

Where the pressure is concentrated: construction, transport, agriculture

The shortages are unevenly distributed. Ministry of Industry and Construction data show 16,200 needed construction workers and 14,400 in manufacturing. Transport needs around 57,000 specialists; the sector employs 870,000 people, roughly every tenth worker in the country. Agriculture needs about 73,000 qualified working professionals by 2035. These sectors account for a large share of blue-collar demand and help explain why the government is targeting them in its training plans. If shortages persist, employers in these industries are likely to face continued recruitment pressure and wage competition.

The state's training response carries real budget weight

For 2026, the government has set aside 60 billion tenge for training working-profession specialists, with plans for 95 billion in 2027 and 80 billion in 2028. The expansion from 51 to 174 official in-demand professions signals a policy shift toward aligning training output with employer demand. The new list includes engineering, construction, manufacturing, biotechnology, green energy and nuclear energy. The practical effect will depend on whether training places are directed to the specific shortages rather than simply increasing the overall budget.

Technology is not just creating demand—it is changing the jobs themselves

The same official reports identify 75 new professions in industry and construction and 41 existing specialties being transformed. Transport has defined 31 new professions, including BIM digital design, smart roads, digital logistics and automation; aviation is adding roles tied to artificial intelligence, air traffic design and unmanned systems. If training does not keep pace with these new skill profiles, Kazakhstan could still have vacancies and foreign hires even as more people pass through traditional programs.

What Employers and Job Seekers Should Do With the 2035 Demand Outlook

For employers and job seekers, the official demand projections create specific near-term signals.

• For employers in construction, manufacturing and transport: use the ministry's own shortage counts—16,200 construction, 14,400 manufacturing and roughly 57,000 transport workers—to justify earlier hiring, apprenticeship or foreign-worker applications rather than waiting for the market to ease.
• For businesses reliant on blue-collar labour: treat the Electronic Labour Exchange as the primary channel. Since 60–70% of placements already happen there and 30–40% of its vacancies remain unfilled, employers that do not list or actively match on the platform are missing the main domestic pool.
• For training providers and employers: align programmes with the planned expansion from 51 to 174 in-demand professions, concentrated in engineering, construction, manufacturing, biotechnology, green and nuclear energy. The 60 billion tenge in 2026, 95 billion in 2027 and 80 billion in 2028 funding envelopes are clear timing markers.
• For workers and job seekers: the clearest openings through 2035 are in working professions across industry, construction, agriculture and IT. Transport alone employs 870,000 people and still needs about 57,000 specialists, while fields such as BIM, digital logistics, smart roads and aviation AI/drone roles are being formally recognised as new professions—so training in these areas aligns with official demand rather than old job categories.