Kazakhstan to streamline labor migration

The country’s Majilis (lower chamber) has approved of changes suggested by the Senate into the current legislation on labor migration, Newskaz.ru reports. The amendments prohibit Kazakhstan’s citizens to employ more than 5 labor migrants as household personnel. The amendments also decrease the waiting time for oralmans (ethnic Kazakhs coming back to Kazakhstan from neighboring countries, primarily China) to obtain Kazakhstan citizenship from 5 to 4 years. Besides, the legislation introduces mandatory fingerprinting for all labor migrants. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Budget Planning, the legislation seeks to exercise greater control over labor migrants through issuing permits to be employed as household personnel and to boost respective tax proceeds. The permits shall vary from 1 to 3 months in terms of duration and can be prolonged multiple times. The maximum time of migrants’ continuous sojourn in Kazakhstan shall not exceed 12 months. A new license can only be issued after a 3-day period.