Kazakh human rights organization, The International Legal Initiative Foundation, has proposed to simplify hiring nationals of countries that have visa-free regime with Kazakhstan.  

A meeting of the Dialogue Platform on Human Dimensions under the Foreign Ministry of Kazakh took place on December 2.

The meeting participants proposed to cancel a work permit for a small business for labor migrants from the countries that have a visa-free regime with Kazakhstan, according to Fergana news agency. 

Currently, labor migrants can be hired without work permit only as domestic workers, while in other cases, an employer must get a work permit for hiring foreigners under the annual quota, representative of The International Labor Initiative Foundation, Ms. Aina Shormanbayeva, noted.  

According to her, the Foundation has proposed to simplify hiring labor migrants and representative of the Interior Ministry's Migration Department has assured that “the recommendation was practically implemented.”

“If the parliament endorses the Interior Ministry’s proposal, representatives of small business will be able to hire nationals of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, for example.  This will allow avoiding corruption and numerous violations of rights labor migrants.  Besides, it will replenish the budget,” Shormanbayeva said.  

This year, the quota for hiring foreigners has been 48,700 people.  As of November 1, 2019, little more than 20,500 foreigners got work permits. 

The International Legal Initiative Foundation was founded in 2010 with the aim of protecting and promoting human rights in Kazakhstan. The organization also works on legislative reforms in the country and provides free legal aid for victims of human rights violations.

The Dialogue Platform on Human Dimensions was set up in 2013as an advisory and consultative board aiming to strengthen the engagement and interaction between government institutions and civil society.  The Foreign Ministry serves as the coordinator of the activities and provides venue for the regular meetings of the platform whose conclusions and recommendations are non-binding and serve as guidelines.