Kazakhstan (KZ)
Kazakhstan is the world's ninth-largest country by area and the largest landlocked nation — a vast Central Asian republic stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Altai Mountains, encompassing endless steppes, dramatic canyons, and the remnants of the ancient Silk Road.
Social Security in Kazakhstan
Benefits, contributions, and how the system works for expats.
Kazakhstan's social security system has three mandatory pillars: the Unified Accumulative Pension Fund (UAPF/ЕНПФ) for retirement savings, the State Social Insurance Fund (МТСБ) for disability, maternity, and sickness benefits, and the Mandatory Social Health Insurance Fund (OSMS/ОСМС) for healthcare access. All employed workers — including foreign nationals with work permits — are required to contribute. Self-employed individuals (ИП) pay fixed contribution amounts independently. The MCI (Minimum Calculation Index) of ₸3,893 in 2026 is used to calculate most benefit amounts.
Individual Identification Number (IIN)
ЖСН / ИИН — Жеке сәйкестендіру нөмірі / Индивидуальный идентификационный номер
Apply at any ЦОН (Public Service Centre) or Migration Service Centre (ЦОМ) with your passport and valid visa/residence permit. Processing takes 1–2 working days. Free of charge. Required within the first week of arrival for all formal employment and daily life activities.
- Employment and payroll registration
- Opening bank accounts (mandatory for Kaspi Bank and all major banks)
- Healthcare — registering with a polyclinic under OSMS
- Mobile SIM card registration
- Utility accounts and lease contracts
- Filing income tax declarations
- Accessing eGov.kz — all government e-services
- Vehicle registration and driving licence
- Pension fund (UAPF) account registration
Benefits & Support Payments
Mandatory Pension Contribution (OPV)
Обязательный пенсионный взнос (ОПВ)
Employee contributes 10% of gross salary to their personal accumulative pension account at the UAPF. The employer withholds and transfers this amount monthly. Funds are invested in government securities and equities by the UAPF.
All employees with an IIN and work contract, including foreign nationals with valid work permits.
Automatically deducted by employer. Verify your pension account balance at enpf.kz using your IIN, or via the eGov Mobile app.
Sickness Benefit (Short-Term Disability)
Пособие по временной нетрудоспособности
Income replacement during illness or injury that prevents working. Employer pays full salary for the first 3 calendar days. From day 4 onwards, МТСБ fund pays the benefit for up to 6 months per calendar year.
All employees contributing to МТСБ. Requires official medical sick note (листок нетрудоспособности) from a licensed healthcare provider.
Submit official sick note (листок нетрудоспособности) to your employer's HR department. Employer submits claim to МТСБ (Social Insurance Fund). No separate employee application needed.
Maternity / Paternity Benefit
Декретное пособие / Пособие по уходу за ребёнком
One-time birth payment plus monthly childcare benefit. Maternity leave: 126 calendar days (70 days before + 56 after birth, or 70+70 for complicated births). Paid by employer at 100% of average salary. Childcare benefit until child age 1.5: monthly payment from МТСБ.
Employed mothers who have contributed to МТСБ. Fathers can take paternity leave for 3 calendar days at full pay.
Submit birth certificate and application to employer's HR. Employer files with МТСБ on your behalf. Apply for ongoing childcare benefit at the Social Protection Department (Управление социальной защиты) with your IIN, birth certificate, and employment records.
Unemployment Benefit
Пособие по потере работы
Temporary income support for employees who lose their job involuntarily and have contributed to МТСБ for at least 6 months in the past 3 years.
Kazakhstan citizens and permanent residents who contributed to МТСБ. Not available for foreign nationals whose work permit has expired — must depart Kazakhstan within 10 days of permit expiry.
Register at your local Employment Centre (Центр занятости населения) within 10 working days of job loss with your IIN, employment record book (трудовая книжка), and dismissal order.
Disability Benefit
Пособие по инвалидности
Monthly payment for individuals assessed as having a disability affecting their ability to work. Three groups: Group 1 (severe), Group 2 (moderate), Group 3 (mild).
Assessed by the Medical and Social Expert Commission (МСЭК). Includes foreign nationals with permanent residency who have contributed to МТСБ.
Referred to МСЭК (Medical-Social Expert Commission) by your doctor or upon application. МСЭК issues disability group certificate. Submit certificate with application to the Social Protection Department.
Mandatory Social Health Insurance (OSMS)
Обязательное социальное медицинское страхование (ОСМС)
Provides access to state healthcare at polyclinics and hospitals at reduced or zero cost. Covers primary care, specialist referrals, hospitalisation, maternity care, and emergency treatment.
All employed workers, self-employed, and certain categories (children, pensioners, unemployed registered at Employment Centre) are covered automatically.
Automatically registered by employer when IIN is registered. Verify your OSMS status at osms.kz using your IIN. If status shows "not insured", contact your employer's accountant or visit a ЦОН.
Contribution Overview
Employee total deductions from gross salary: 10% OPV (pension) + 2% ВОСМС (OSMS employee) + 10% IIT (income tax) = 22% total. Employer additionally pays: 3% OSMS employer + 3.5% МТСБ social insurance + 9.5% Social Tax on adjusted payroll. For ИП (sole traders / self-employed): mandatory monthly payments regardless of income — OPV: 10% of declared income (min. 1 MCI = ₸3,893/month), ВОСМС: ₸272.5/month, Social Contributions (СО): ₸174.2/month (2026).
International Social Security Agreements
Kazakhstan has totalization agreements (agreements on avoidance of double social insurance contributions) with Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan (within the Eurasian Economic Union / EAEU framework). Workers posted from EAEU countries pay social contributions in their home country only. Kazakhstan also has bilateral social security agreements with Georgia, Ukraine, and several CIS countries. Agreements with EU member states or the USA are not in force — check your home country's arrangements.
All contribution amounts linked to MCI are updated annually on January 1. The 2026 MCI is ₸3,893. Foreign nationals on short-term assignments (under 183 days) may be exempt from certain contributions depending on their visa category — confirm with your employer's accountant. OSMS status should be verified at osms.kz immediately upon starting employment.
Social Security
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