🇰🇿 Doing business in Kazakhstan

Structural scores

Highlights: Resource rich economy · Belt and Road nexus · Emerging financial centre

Key industries

Oil & Gas → Stable

Kazakhstan is the worlds 12th largest oil producer. Tengiz, Kashagan and Karachaganak fields attract major international operators.

Main investors: Chevron, Shell, ExxonMobil, China

Mining & Metals ↑ Growing

Kazakhstan holds top 10 global reserves of uranium, chromium, zinc and manganese. Uranium output is worlds largest.

Main investors: China, Russia, Canada, Australia

Financial Services ↑ Growing

Astana International Financial Centre is a common law jurisdiction hub targeting Central Asian financial services.

Main investors: UAE, UK, China, South Korea

Agriculture ↑ Growing

Kazakhstan is a top global wheat and grain exporter. Arable land of 24M hectares with significant agri investment potential.

Main investors: China, EU, Russia, UAE

Sector priorities

1. Oil & Gas Services — Major field expansions at Tengiz and Kashagan creating sustained demand for oilfield services and technology firms.
2. AIFC Financial Services — Astana IFC common law framework and 0% tax rate for qualifying firms creating attractive Central Asian financial hub opportunity.
3. Mining & Critical Minerals — Global critical mineral demand and Kazakhstan vast reserves creating significant mining technology and processing investment opportunity.

Talent & work permits

Kazakhstan has a highly educated workforce with Soviet era engineering and technical traditions. Kazakh and Russian are business languages.

• Foreign workers: Work permit required from Ministry of Labour. Quota based. Annual permit renewal required. Process takes 4 to 8 weeks.
• Localisation: Local content requirements apply in oil and gas sector. Targets for Kazakh national employment in foreign firms are increasing.
• Key consideration: Russian language proficiency is important for management roles outside Astana and Almaty international business communities.

How to enter: first four steps

Kazakhstan offers multiple entry routes. AIFC is the most attractive for financial and professional services firms.

1. Choose entry route — AIFC for financial services, standard LLP or JSC for other sectors, SEZ for manufacturing
2. Register with Ministry of Justice — legal entity registration through e-government portal eGov.kz
3. Register with State Revenue Committee — tax registration for CIT, VAT and social contributions
4. Develop local content plan — mandatory for oil and gas sector. Broader sectors benefit from demonstrating Kazakh workforce commitment

Indicative cost: 10-person team

Professional-services mix (1 senior, 5 professional, 2 admin, 2 support), Grade-A office, registration, legal, audit and tax compliance. Model estimate, not a quote. Model your own team size and industry →

Regulatory watch

• Feb 2026 · AIFC Expansion — Astana International Financial Centre announced expansion of permitted financial services activities and new tax incentives for qualifying firms establishing regional operations.