Draft:Migration in Kazakhstan

Overview

Migration in Kazakhstan encompasses both immigration to and emigration from the country. Situated in Central Asia, Kazakhstan has experienced significant migration patterns shaped by its historical, political, economic, and social contexts. Since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Kazakhstan has seen diverse migration flows, including repatriation, labor migration, and international immigration.

History

Soviet Era (1920s-1991)

During the Soviet era, Kazakhstan experienced considerable migration movements. The Soviet government orchestrated large-scale relocations, such as the Virgin Lands Campaign in the 1950s and 1960s, which brought a substantial number of Russians, Ukrainians, and other ethnic groups to Kazakhstan to develop its agricultural potential. Additionally, forced migrations, including deportations of various ethnic groups (e.g., Crimean Tatars, Chechens, and Volga Germans), were a significant part of Soviet policies.

Post-Soviet Period (1991-present)

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan faced new migration challenges and opportunities. The country became an independent nation and began to navigate its own migration policies, experiencing significant demographic shifts.

The collapse of the Soviet Union, independence and the possibility of returning to their historical homeland, as well as the difficult economic situation in Kazakhstan, were the reasons for the outflow of the population. Since 2000, the number of emigrants has been steadily decreasing, although from 2006 to 2010 there was an increase, then again a decrease in the number of emigrants, this trend was observed from 2011 to 2013. However, since 2014, there has been a trend towards a gradual increase in the outflow of population. (Gov Kz)

Types of immigration.

Kazakhstan has attracted immigrants from neighboring countries and beyond, driven by economic opportunities and political stability.

Repatriation (Oralman)

A significant aspect of immigration to Kazakhstan is the return of ethnic Kazakhs, known as Oralman, from neighboring countries like China, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and Russia. The government has actively encouraged this repatriation through policies and incentives aimed at bolstering the ethnic Kazakh population.

Labor Migration

Kazakhstan's economic growth, particularly in the oil and construction sectors, has made it a destination for labor migrants from countries such as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. These migrants often fill labor shortages in industries requiring manual labor and contribute to the country's economy.

Emigration

Kazakhstan has also seen substantial emigration, particularly in the early post-Soviet years. Emigration of Ethnic Russians and Germans In the 1990s, a significant number of ethnic Russians and Germans emigrated from Kazakhstan to their ancestral homelands. This movement was influenced by economic instability and changes in national policies favoring ethnic Kazakhs.

Skilled Migration

More recently, there has been a trend of skilled professionals leaving Kazakhstan for better opportunities abroad. Countries like Russia, Germany, Canada, and the United States are popular destinations for these migrants.

There are two large groups of Kazakhstanis temporarily living abroad. The first is the students. According to UNESCO, 89 thousand Kazakhstanis are currently studying at universities in different countries. 80% of them (71.3 thousand) study in Russia. Potentially, many of them are future emigrants In order to increase the level of higher education in Kazakhstan and suspend educational migration, President Kassym—Jomart Tokayev decided to open branches of several top Russian universities in Kazakhstan. At the end of February 2022, the Ministers of Education of the two countries, Askhat Aimagambetov and Valery Falkov, signed a special agreement on this issue. It was published on the portal of the information and legal system of regulatory legal acts of Kazakhstan on February 23. It sets out the basic conditions for opening branches of Russian universities in Kazakhstan. However, the list of universities has not yet been approved, as negotiations with the rectors have not yet been completed.

To compensate for internal regional imbalances, the Government of the country approved the program of voluntary resettlement from the south to the north "Enbek" five years ago. It existed until 2021, and in 2022 it was adopted again with minor adjustments. According to the rules of this program, those who move to the northern regions from the south are helped to find work locally, pay compensation for relocation, rent an apartment for a year, give land plots, rental housing with the right to buy, help with retraining or a preferential loan to start their own business.

Based on the results of the last five-year plan, the program has not shown significant results. According to the Ministry of Labor of the Republic of Kazakhstan, announced in the text of the Concept, 32 thousand people have moved from the southern regions to the northern regions over the years, nine thousand able-bodied citizens have been employed. On the scale of unregulated internal migration, this figure is small, because more than 780 thousand people move inside the country per year (data from the Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2021).

To change the situation, the Concept provides new incentive tools for both future internal migrants and employers who will hire them. In particular, it is proposed to compensate companies for the cost of buying housing for immigrants. The new interface of the enbek electronic labor exchange.kz will help employers to independently search for employees from the southern regions and "declare" them as participants in the program. The second large group of Kazakhstanis who do not live in their homeland are labor emigrants. They go to work in Russia, Greece, Turkey, USA, Germany, Belarus, without giving up the citizenship of Kazakhstan.

Official statistics of migrant workers from Kazakhstan working in the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (mostly Russia – approx. the author), is not tracked. There is a common labor market on the territory of the EAEU and Kazakhstanis do not need to obtain a special work permit in the Russian Federation. According to indirect data stated by the authors of the Concept, the number of migrant workers from Kazakhstan in Russia has tripled over the past eight years to 111 thousand people. At the same time, a significant volume of labor migration of Kazakhstanis in the border regions of Russia (Orenburg, Novosibirsk, Omsk regions, Altai Territory, Altai Republic) is in the shadow. These are people who can at any moment decide to move to a country where they have already found a job, found temporary housing, and underwent adaptation.

The new migration policy does not imply that Kazakhstan will impose any bureaucratic bans on Kazakhstanis traveling abroad to work. The main goal set by the relevant department is to protect the rights of migrant workers in other countries, and to encourage international recruitment in the legal field. To this end, the Government of Kazakhstan intends to conclude bilateral agreements on ensuring the labor and social rights of migrant workers with several countries. By the end of 2022, a Migration Committee should be opened in the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which will deal with the legal protection of migrants.

Migration Policies

Kazakhstan's migration policies have evolved to address the changing migration dynamics. The government has implemented various measures to manage and regulate migration flows.

To compensate for internal regional imbalances, the Government of the country approved the program of voluntary resettlement from the south to the north "Enbek" five years ago. It existed until 2021, and in 2022 it was adopted again with minor adjustments. According to the rules of this program, those who move to the northern regions from the south are helped to find work locally, pay compensation for relocation, rent an apartment for a year, give land plots, rental housing with the right to buy, help with retraining or a preferential loan to start their own business. Based on the results of the last five-year plan, the program has not shown significant results. According to the Ministry of Labor of the Republic of Kazakhstan, announced in the text of the Concept, 32 thousand people have moved from the southern regions to the northern regions over the years, nine thousand able-bodied citizens have been employed. On the scale of unregulated internal migration, this figure is small, because more than 780 thousand people move inside the country per year (data from the Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2021).

To change the situation, the Concept provides new incentive tools for both future internal migrants and employers who will hire them. In particular, it is proposed to compensate companies for the cost of buying housing for immigrants. The new interface of the enbek electronic labor exchange.kz will help employers to independently search for employees from the southern regions and "declare" them as participants in the program.

The Migration Policy Concept for 2022-2026 states that the ethnic migration management system will be improved. Officials intend to pay attention to the problems of employment of the Kandases, their integration in local communities. The special fund for the support of compatriots "Otandastar" should start working more actively. Its specialists will disseminate information about the resettlement program to Kazakhstan in Kazakh communities of different countries. There are plans to simplify the procedure for obtaining citizenship of the Republic of Kazakhstan by ethnic Kazakhs who decide to return to their historical homeland.

Among the financial incentives that will be offered to repatriates are quotas for admission to universities for ethnic Kazakhs living abroad, and professional retraining. Special Adaptation and Integration Centers for displaced persons will be opened in Akmola, East Kazakhstan, Pavlodar, Kostanay, and North Kazakhstan regions in the next two years.

Legal Framework

The legal framework governing migration in Kazakhstan includes laws on immigration, emigration, and citizenship. Policies have been established to streamline the process for ethnic Kazakhs returning to the country and to regulate the entry and employment of foreign workers.

International Cooperation

Kazakhstan collaborates with international organizations and neighboring countries to manage migration issues. This includes agreements on labor migration, border management, and efforts to combat human trafficking.

Socioeconomic Impact

Migration has had profound effects on Kazakhstan's demographic landscape, economy, and social fabric. Migration has stimulated economic activity, particularly in urban areas, through increased labor supply and consumer demand.

Demographic Changes The influx of ethnic Kazakhs has increased the proportion of the titular nationality within the population, while the emigration of ethnic minorities has altered the ethnic composition of the country. Economic Contributions. Migration has influenced urbanization patterns, with major cities like Almaty, Nur-Sultan, and Shymkent experiencing population growth due to internal migration and immigration.

Labor migrants play a crucial role in sectors such as construction, agriculture, and services. Remittances sent by Kazakhstani citizens working abroad also contribute to the national economy.

Social Integration

The integration of migrants, particularly Oralman, presents both opportunities and challenges. The government provides support in terms of housing, education, and employment, but issues of social cohesion and cultural adaptation remain pertinent.

Outflow of the intellectual potential of the population

The working-age population, who has a higher education, mainly leaves Kazakhstan. From 2000 to 2006, the outflow of the population decreased sharply, then there were bursts of increase and decrease in the population, which were characterized by a synchronous indicator of education.

Starting in 2013, the number of emigrants with higher education began to exceed the number of outflows with secondary special education. Emigrants with general secondary education often leave the country in order to get an education.