Bureau of National statistics
Agency for Strategic planning and reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Employment and unemployment 
According to the sample survey of employment of the population for the 4st quarter of 2023. 9.1 million people were employed in various sectors of the economy of Kazakhstan , of which 6.9 million people worked for hire (75.9% of the total number of people employed in the economy), 2.1 million people were self-employed (24.1% of the total number of people employed in the economy).
Compared with the 4st quarter of 2022, total employment increased by 110.4 thousand people, mainly due to self-employed (64.3 thousand people), the number of employees (by 46.1 thousand people).
The largest share of employees was observed in trade (16.7%), education (13%), industry (12.3%) and agriculture (11.9%).
At the main job, on average, the actual hours worked per week were 39 hours per employed person, 40 hours per employee, and 34 hours per self-employed worker.
The number of people who were unemployed but were not looking for a job or were not ready to start working (potential labor force) amounted to 28.1 thousand people.
The proportion of persons not included in the labor force was 31.5% of the population aged 15 and over.
The unemployment rate (according to the ILO methodology) decreased by 0.2% and amounted to 4.7% compared to 2022.
Officially at the end of December this year. in the employment agencies of the MLSP RK 127.8 thousand people were registered as unemployed. Share of registered unemployed compared to 2022 of the previous year a increased by 0.4 percentage points and amounted to 1.8 % of the labor force.
The unemployment rate among youth aged 15 to 34 compared to 3.5%.
| Labor force, people | Employed population, people | Including | Unemployed population, people | Unemployment rate, % |
Youth unemployment rate*, % (aged 15-34) |
Persons not included in the labor force, people | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| wage-earners | self-employed workers | |||||||
| 2021 | 9 256 757 | 8 807 113 | 6 710 206 | 2 096 907 | 449 644 | 4.9 | 5.2 | 4 093 294 |
| 2022 | 9 429 809 | 8 971 539 | 6 847 300 | 2 124 239 | 458 270 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 4 301 439 |
| 2023 | 9 534 114 | 9 081 920 | 6 893 429 | 2 188 491 | 452 194 | 4.7 | 3.5 | 4 393 533 |
* 2021-2022 the data were generated in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On State Youth Policy", aged 15-28, under 29 years old (28+). From January 1, 2023 the age of young people is increased to 35 years.
The labor force is the employed and unemployed population.
Persons of working age include citizens aged 16 - 61 years (women), - 63 years (men), (according to the "Labor Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan" and the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On pensions for citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan").
Employed person – a natural person who carries out activities for payment or by deriving income through the use of property, the production and sale of goods, the performance of work, the provision of services.
Employed persons include:
1) employees, as well as persons having other paid work (elected, appointed or approved);
2) individual entrepreneurs;
3) persons engaged in private practice;
4) individuals carrying out activities under a civil law contract that are not employees;
5) individuals who are founders (participants) of business partnerships and founders, shareholders (participants) of joint-stock companies, as well as members of production cooperatives;
6) independent workers;
7) serving in the Armed Forces, other troops and military formations, law enforcement and special state bodies of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
An unemployed person is a natural person who is looking for a job and is ready to start work.
The unemployment rate is the share of the unemployed in the labor force, measured as a percentage.
The youth unemployment rate at the age of 15-34 is the share of the unemployed population aged 15-34 in the labor force at the same age, measured as a percentage.
The long-term unemployment rate is the proportion of the unemployed population who have been unemployed for 1 year or more in the labor force, measured as a percentage.
Persons outside the labor force - persons who are not employed or unemployed.
In the Republic of Kazakhstan, since 2001, sample surveys of employment of the population have been conducted. The survey covers all regions of the republic on the basis of a selective method of observation with subsequent distribution of the results to the entire population. The units of observation are households and persons aged 15 and over.
The presented indicators are based on the results of a sample survey on an extended network of households (4.3% of the total number of households), the sample is formed once a year. Lists of households are formed on the basis of the Register of Housing Stock of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The sampling methodology was developed jointly with experts from the German Statistical Office DESTATIS as part of the KAZSTAT Project to Strengthen the National Statistical System of Kazakhstan.
The results of the survey were disseminated taking into account the current demographic statistics.
The survey of the population is carried out using the Questionnaire for a sample survey of employment of the population, which contains questions that characterize each member of the household. The questionnaire is structured according to the principle of a logical sequence of questions, on the basis of which the population is classified into employed or unemployed and persons not included in the labor force.
Concepts and definitions are given in accordance with the Law of the Social Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated April 20, 2023, as well as in accordance with the standards and methodological approaches of the International Labor Organization (ILO).
