Kazakhstan tightens unemployment benefits, raises Almaty power tariffs

September 12, 2026 at 03:47 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Kazakhstan's labor ministry will halve the maximum unemployment benefit period from six to three months starting October 1. Almaty and Almaty region electricity tariffs rise from September 12, with the residential base tariff set at 37.92 tenge per kWh. The changes come as up to 40% of vacancies on the national labor exchange remain unfilled, forcing employers to hire foreign workers.

Key Facts

From October 1, the maximum unemployment benefit period in Kazakhstan will be cut from six months to three months.
The new unemployment benefit cap is set at 45% of seven minimum wages.
Almaty and Almaty region electricity tariffs rise from September 12, with a residential base tariff of 37.92 tenge per kWh.
Up to 40% of vacancies on Kazakhstan's labor exchange remain unfilled, according to Labor Minister Askarbek Yertayev.
Astana's 2026 budget will increase by 71.4 billion tenge to 1.4 trillion tenge.

Unemployment Benefit Reform

Kazakhstan's labor ministry will halve the maximum unemployment benefit period from six months to three months starting October 1. The ministry is also introducing a cap on benefit amounts at 45% of seven minimum wages. Currently, the benefit is calculated as 45% of average monthly income over the past two years without a strict upper limit.

Electricity Tariff Increase

Electricity tariffs in Almaty and Almaty region will rise from September 12. The maximum retail price will increase to 45.59 tenge per kWh including VAT. The base tariff for households is set at 37.92 tenge, for commercial enterprises at 50.03 tenge, and for state institutions at 50.38 tenge.

Labor Market Pressures

Up to 40% of vacancies on Kazakhstan's labor exchange remain unfilled, Labor Minister Askarbek Yertayev said. About 300,000 foreign labor migrants arrive in Kazakhstan annually, according to the minister. The OSDP parliamentary faction has called on the government to address mass car breakdowns caused by poor-quality AI-95 and AI-98 gasoline, with repairs costing drivers up to 600,000 tenge.