In Qatar, Kazakh labor migrants promised social guarantees: agreement comes into force

A new labour agreement between Kazakhstan and Qatar has now taken full effect. Signed in February 2024 and ratified by Kazakhstan in October 2025, the deal secures stronger protections for Kazakh workers in the Gulf state. It covers key rights such as airfare, housing, and medical support while working abroad.

The agreement sets clear rules on working conditions, leave entitlements, and fair pay for Kazakh employees in Qatar. A dedicated online platform will list all job openings from Qatari employers, ensuring transparency in recruitment. A joint committee, made up of officials from both countries’ labour ministries, will monitor compliance with the new standards.

Under the terms, Kazakh workers will also benefit from a structured process for matching job requests, verifying qualifications, and finalising contracts. This follows a period of growing migration, with 156,700 Kazakh citizens working overseas in the first nine months of 2025 alone. The largest groups were employed in Russia, South Korea, Poland, and the UK. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Labour is now pursuing similar deals with other key destinations, including South Korea, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Japan, and several European nations. Discussions are ongoing to replicate the protections secured in the Qatar agreement.

The bilateral deal marks a formal step toward safeguarding Kazakh workers in Qatar. All employment terms, from wages to living conditions, will now follow a regulated framework. The joint committee’s oversight aims to ensure these standards are upheld in practice.