Kazakhstan Jobless Rate Edges Down to 4.5%

The unemployment rate in Kazakhstan edged down to 4.5% in the first quarter of 2026, following a 4.6% growth in the previous five quarters. The number of unemployed individuals decreased by 7.4 thousand year-on-year to 446.1 thousand, while total employment rose by 360.1 thousand to 9.39 million. Hired employment expanded by 149.5 thousand, while self-employment fell by 40.9 thousand. The labor force totaled 9.84 million during the quarter. The employment rate reached 64.1% of the population aged 15 and over, equivalent to 95.5% of the labor force. Youth unemployment (aged 15-34) stood at 3%, slightly down from 3.1% in the previous quarter.

The unemployment rate in Kazakhstan stood at 4.6% in the fourth quarter of 2025, unchanged for the fifth consecutive quarter. The number of unemployed individuals declined by 2.5 thousand year-on-year to 445.7 thousand, while total employment rose by 81.9 thousand to 9.28 million. Hired employment increased by 94.3 thousand, while self-employment fell by 12.4 thousand. The labor force totaled 9.72 million during the quarter. The employment rate reached 64.6% of the population aged 15 and over, equivalent to 95.4% of the labor force. Youth unemployment (aged 15–34) stood at 3.1%, slightly up from 3.0% in the previous quarter. Sectorally, the largest shares of employment were recorded in trade (17%), education (13.2%), industry (12.5%), and agriculture (10.3%).

The unemployment rate in Kazakhstan remained unchanged at 4.6% in the third quarter of 2025, marking the fifth consecutive quarter with the same rate. The number of unemployed individuals decreased by 4 thousand from a year earlier to 448.6 thousand, while the number of employed individuals increased by 96.3 thousand, reaching a total of 9.3 million. Additionally, the youth unemployment rate for those aged 15 to 34 edged down to 3% from 3.1% in the last two quarters. Meanwhile, the labor force expanded by 96,311 thousand year-on-year to 9.78 million.