Kazakhstan Faces Labor Surplus Amid Shifting Job Demands

In Kazakhstan, the job market of 2025 was nothing short of a whirlwind, with more than 1.3 million job vacancies posted nationwide—a figure that underscores both opportunity and complexity in the country’s evolving labor landscape. On January 29, 2026, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection announced that a total of 1.328 million vacancies had been published during the year, while job seekers uploaded 1.454 million profiles. This resulted in a labor supply that exceeded demand by about 125,800 applicants, a gap that reveals as much about the ambitions of Kazakhstan’s workforce as it does about the hiring needs of its employers, according to reporting by The Astana Times.

The numbers tell a nuanced story. Half of all job openings—roughly 665,500 positions—were for working-class jobs, yet a striking 75% of vacancies (999,000) required skilled labor. This signals a market where technical expertise is prized, but there’s still plenty of room for those with practical skills. Nurses and medical assistants were at the top of the most sought-after professions, with 21,700 openings offering monthly salaries between 143,000 tenge (about US$284) and 178,000 tenge (US$327). It’s a figure that reflects both the country’s growing healthcare needs and the modest, but steady, compensation on offer.

Kindergarten teachers were a close second, with 21,200 vacancies and pay ranging from 139,000 tenge (US$276) to 182,000 tenge (US$361). Drivers also remained in high demand, with 20,000 vacancies and salaries between 151,000 tenge (US$298) and 195,000 tenge (US$384). Not to be overlooked, orderlies accounted for 19,600 openings, with salaries from 110,000 tenge (US$217) to 133,000 tenge (US$262). General subject teachers rounded out the top five, further highlighting the education sector’s dominant share of vacancies.

But what about the people behind these numbers? Among job seekers, the most popular profession was accountant, with 25,100 profiles submitted—each expecting, on average, a salary of 308,000 tenge (US$607). Drivers were the second most common, with 23,600 profiles and expected wages around 250,000 tenge (US$493). Kindergarten teachers were again prominent, with 22,100 profiles and salary expectations of 199,000 tenge (US$392). Meanwhile, 19,100 applicants sought legal positions, aiming for average pay of 294,000 tenge (US$579).

Interestingly, the highest salaries offered by employers in 2025 were for marine navigators, who could earn between 875,000 tenge (US$1,724) and 900,000 tenge (US$1,773) per month. Deputy site managers in the mining sector were offered at least 714,000 tenge (US$1,406), while drilling machine operators could expect starting salaries of 700,000 tenge (US$1,379). On the flip side, job seekers had the highest salary expectations for pilots, who listed desired pay of about 1.9 million tenge (US$3,743)—a figure that towers above most other professions. Deputy service chiefs in the extractive industry and ship captains also had high expectations, seeking 1.2 million tenge (US$2,364) and 1.1 million tenge (US$2,167), respectively.

The demand for workers was heavily concentrated in socially oriented sectors. Education led the way, with 380,600 vacancies—accounting for 28.7% of all job postings. Other service activities followed with 175,400 vacancies (13.2%), and healthcare came in third with 117,400 vacancies (8.8%). Agriculture, manufacturing, public administration, construction, information and communications, trade, and transport also featured among the top ten sectors by job demand. Together, the three largest sectors—education, services, and healthcare—generated about half of all vacancies nationwide, illustrating the country’s focus on foundational social infrastructure.

Yet, beneath the surface, regional imbalances persisted. Employers in Astana posted the most vacancies (118,200), followed by the Turkistan Region (96,700) and Almaty (92,000). However, labor supply and demand varied sharply from one region to another. North and East Kazakhstan, for example, experienced labor shortages. The Pavlodar Region recorded 83,000 vacancies but only 50,000 registered profiles, while North Kazakhstan had 47,300 vacancies and just 26,500 profiles. Similar gaps appeared in East Kazakhstan and the Ulytau Region, pointing to a need for targeted workforce development and perhaps incentives to attract talent to these areas.

In contrast, South Kazakhstan showed a surplus of job seekers. The Kyzylorda Region had 35,700 vacancies but a whopping 92,000 profiles, while the Turkistan Region saw 184,400 profiles for only 96,700 vacancies. Shymkent and the Mangystau Region also displayed an oversupply, a reflection of higher population growth and a younger workforce in these southern regions. These imbalances hint at underlying demographic trends and the perennial challenge of matching people with positions that suit their skills and aspirations.

Hiring and job-seeking activity also exhibited clear seasonality throughout 2025. After moderate activity in February, the number of profiles dropped to a yearly low in March before rising steadily to a peak of 148,000 in July. Activity then declined toward the end of the year. Employer demand, on the other hand, remained relatively stable in the first half of the year before peaking in August (141,700 vacancies), September (138,400), and October (132,300). These fluctuations suggest that both employers and job seekers are attuned to broader economic cycles, perhaps timing their moves to coincide with periods of higher activity and opportunity.

Women made up 55% of all job seekers, with the largest age group being 35-44 years old (26.4%). Applicants aged 45-54 accounted for 18.5%, while young people aged 16-24 represented 17.5%. Smaller shares came from older age groups, and women were more strongly represented among younger applicants than those nearing retirement age. This demographic snapshot paints a picture of a workforce that is both diverse and dynamic, with significant participation from women and a strong presence of mid-career professionals.

While Kazakhstan’s labor market was defined by these domestic trends, 2026 also saw global business leaders grappling with the promise and pitfalls of artificial intelligence. On February 2, 2026, Harvard Business Review reported that CEO expectations for AI-driven growth remained high. However, the reality on the ground was more sobering: Gartner research found that only one in 50 AI investments delivered transformational value, and only one in five produced any measurable return on investment. This disconnect between optimism and outcome is a reminder that, even as technology continues to reshape the world of work, the human element—skills, experience, and adaptability—remains as crucial as ever.

Kazakhstan’s labor market in 2025 was a study in contrasts: abundant opportunities, persistent regional divides, and a workforce eager to step up. As the country looks to the future, the challenge will be to bridge the gap between supply and demand, harness the potential of its people, and adapt to the technological changes that are sweeping across the globe.