For international professionals considering a career move to Kazakhstan, understanding the country’s visa, residency, and work permit system is essential. With the Astana International Financial Centre AIFC offering a unique ecosystem for global talent, the process is more streamlined than many expect, especially for those joining the AIFC community.
Ainur Zhumatova, Director of AIFC Expat Centre, linkedin
Visa options
Kazakhstan’s visa system is designed with flexibility in mind, catering to a variety of professional needs:
Work Visa C3 Category — the go-to choice for most foreign nationals employed in Kazakhstan, valid for one to three years. It typically requires a work permit, except if a person is from an EAEU member state: Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia. In that case, a professional doesn’t need a C3 visa or work permit at all. Instead a Temporary Residence Permit of up to one year will do.
Business Visas B1, B2, B3 — perfect for short stays without work permits. Ideal if a professional is attending a conference, providing technical expertise, or joining high-level meetings.
Investor Visa A5 — a premium option for companies with confirmed investments. It’s valid for up to five years and frees professionals from work permit requirements and local content quotas.
Also, there are new opportunities for IT specialists who aim to work online while living in Kazakhstan. Digital Nomad Visa and Digital Nomad Residency programs allow professionals to live there for up to a year without the usual work permissions.
All of these show that Kazakhstan offers different visa options for various professional needs.
The AIFC Expat Centre: your gateway to Kazakhstan
It is important to note benefits for international specialists in Kazakhstan which are provided by the AIFC Expat Centre. It is a dedicated facility designed to make relocation to our country fast, convenient, and stress-free. Acting as a comprehensive one-stop shop, it centralizes essential government services for foreign professionals, from visa processing to residence permits — all in one place.
Working in the AIFC ecosystem offers several huge benefits. They include no quota or work permit needed for foreign employees; visas of up to five years for employees, investors, and their families - issued at Kazakh embassies, on arrival, or directly at the Expat Centre; on-site government services, including Temporary Residence Permits; and digital convenience — submit documents through the AIFC portal from all over the world.
If you are an employer, you need to remember about several requirements to hire international specialists. For example, your foreign hires must meet education and experience requirements, and assignments to other regions of Kazakhstan from an AIFC company are limited to 90 days per year. Beyond that, a regional work permit is needed.
The investor’s advantage: ITRP
If you’re looking to combine investment with residency, the AIFC Investment Tax Residency Programme is a first-of-its-kind opportunity in the region.
As of today, there are more than 80 investment migration programmes worldwide, serving as an important tool for attracting foreign investment, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing a country’s position in the global market. And now these opportunities for mobility and capital management are available at the AIFC.
ITRP is designed to create favorable conditions for international investors, contributing to the development of the national economy and the inflow of high-quality capital. In short, it offers long-term investor visas or residence permits and a fast track to tax residency with full exemption on foreign-sourced income.
Highlights include a residence permit or a multi-entry visa for up to five years for investor and their family members, tax residency with only a 90-daystay requirement in Kazakhstan, and tax exemptions on ITRP investment returns and foreign income.
Requirements are straightforward: be at least 18 years old, have no Kazakhstan citizenship or tax residency in the past 20 years, and invest at least USD 60 000 in approved AIFC instruments — such as Astana International Exchange securities or the share capital of an AIFC-registered legal entity.
Variety of visas, special opportunities such as ITRP, and facilities like Expat Centre form a friendly environment for foreign investors and professionals to relocate to Kazakhstan. Its evolving regulatory framework, paired with the AIFC’s investor- and talent-friendly ecosystem, makes the country an increasingly attractive destination for foreign professionals and businesses.
Whether somebody seeks career opportunities, expanding operations, or making strategic investments, the AIFC ecosystem offers the infrastructure, services, and support to make this transition seamless.