Program

Employment Roadmap

An ambitious employment subsidy and direct employment program that is expected to employ three million Kazakhs by 2029

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Country

Kazakhstan

Dates of operation

Originally the “Roadmap” 2009-2012 (4), 2013-2020 renamed “Road Map Employment 2020”, 2020-present “Employment Roadmap” (5)

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Summary

The program began as industrial policy with “mechanisms for crisis management, improvement of the efficiency of labor market regulation, the involvement of the poor, unemployed, and self-employed persons with disabilities into active promotion of employment,” (1). The program has gone through several iterations and was most recently expanded in 2020 to respond to the COVID 19 pandemic and its effects on the labor market.

Defining principles

Improving quality of life, providing opportunities to vulnerable groups (youth, people with disabilities, women), increasing access to finance for small and medium business enterprises, agriculture development, and business development (3).

Rationale

Provide employment and income to citizens during the crisis (2).

Number of participants

239,000 employed in 6,700 projects in 2020. 42,500 employed in 2021, of which the majority were permanent positions (28,800) (6).

Criteria for participation

18 years and older with priority given to: youth within 3 years of school (18-29), youth without parents (18-29), people with disabilities, women living in rural areas, older workers, workers laid off for economic reasons (7).

Pay and benefits

Minimum monthly salary of KZT 85,000 (8). Average monthly salary KZT 130,000 2020-2021 (USD 314.40 2020) (9).

Financing

KZT 1 trillion in 2020 (10). A further KZT 300 billion was allocated in 2021 (11). Funding is allocated from the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan (12).

Implementation

Ministry of Labour and Social Protection. In 2021, the program focused on creating permanent employment in infrastructure development, the agricultural sector, and through entrepreneurship development. Entrepreneurs are supported with microfinance loans (16). The program emphasizes the use of domestically produced products in the construction of new social assets (17).

Types of work

Social, engineering, and transportation infrastructure; housing; communal services; and settlement improvements (13).

Notable features

48.6% of participants were women between 2011-2016 (14). Utilizing measures to attract workers to regions experiencing labor shortages (15). In 2021, the program focused on creating permanent employment in infrastructure development, the agricultural sector, and through entrepreneurship development. Entrepreneurs are supported with microfinance loans (16). The program emphasizes the use of domestically produced products in the construction of new social assets (17). There are “subsidies for relocation from settlements with low potential of socio-economic development into localities with high potential of socio-economic development and centers of economic growth,” (18).

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Citations

  1. Naukenova, Aigerim. (2015). Kazakhstan's and developed countries’ experience in reforming social policy on employment of people with disabilities. ECONOMICS & SOCIOLOGY. 8. 287-297. 10.14254/2071-789X.2015/8-1/22. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281889072_Kazakhstan's_and_developed_countries'_experience_in_reforming_social_policy_on_employment_of_people_with_disabilities
  2. Government of Kazakhstan. (2022). Work in Kazakhstan. https://www.gov.kz/article/64596?lang=en
  3. The Office of The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (May 25, 2021). 300 billion tenge to be allocated for implementation of Employment Roadmap in 2021. https://primeminister.kz/en/news/2021-zhyly-300-mlrd-tenge-zhumyspen-kamtudyn-zhol-kartasyn-zhuzege-asyruga-bagyttalady-2544538
  4. Naukenova, Aigerim. (2015). Kazakhstan's and developed countries’ experience in reforming social policy on employment of people with disabilities. ECONOMICS & SOCIOLOGY. 8. 287-297. 10.14254/2071-789X.2015/8-1/22.
  5. Global Trade Alert. (2016). Kazakhstan: Road Map “Employment 2020”. https://www.globaltradealert.org/intervention/9297/instrument-unclear/kazakhstan-road-map-employment-2020
  6. Government of Kazakhstan. (2022). Work in Kazakhstan.
  7. OECD. (2017). Building Inclusive Labour Markets in Kazakhstan A Focus on Youth, Older Workers and People with Disabilities: A Focus on Youth, Older Workers and People with Disabilities. Pg 94. OECD Publishing. https://books.google.com/books?id=SVksDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA141&lpg=PA141&dq=kazakhstan+road+map+employment+2020+program+minimum+age&source=bl&ots=g75Idu6_iV&sig=ACfU3U3Eb4K_fTjRjqgHYjwJXHYTTGKpQw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiRhNXb2Lb_AhVNlIkEHe_3DFg4MhDoAXoECAQQAw#v=snippet&q=roadmap%20years%20&f=false
  8. The Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (April 2, 2020). Implementation of Employment Roadmap to cover 7,000 projects - Ministry of LAbor and Social Protection of the Population. https://primeminister.kz/en/news/realizaciya-dorozhnoy-karty-zanyatosti-ohvatit-7-tys-proektov-mtszn-rk-234737
  9. Zhanna, Nurmaganbetova. (January 25, 2021). Above 240,000 employed in 2020 under Employment Road Map. Kazinform. https://www.inform.kz/en/above-240-000-employed-in-2020-under-employment-road-map_a3744804
  10. Press Service of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (2020). Central Asian trade unions discussed new challenges and prospects for the development of social and labor relations in the conditions of the pandemic. https://kasipodaq.kz/2020/05/07/central-asian-trade-unions-discussed-new-challenges-and-prospects-for-the-development-of-social-and-labor-relations-in-the-conditions-of-the-pandemic/
  11. The Office of The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (May 25, 2021). 300 billion tenge to be allocated for implementation of Employment Roadmap in 2021.
  12. The Office of The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (May 25, 2021). Main emphasis of Employment Roadmap made on creation of permanent jobs — Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population. https://primeminister.kz/en/news/2021-zhyly-300-mlrd-tenge-zhumyspen-kamtudyn-zhol-kartasyn-zhuzege-asyruga-bagyttalady-2544538
  13. Government of Kazakhstan. 2022. Work in Kazakhstan.
  14. Republic of Kazakhstan, Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development. (2016). Systemic measures to ensure productive employment for Kazakhstan. (presentation on the Road Map of Employment 2020). Ankara. https://www.sesric.org/imgs/news/1507-Kazakhstan.pptx
  15. Arailym, T. (December 14, 2022). Regional employment road maps to be adopted in Kazakhstan. Kazinform.https://www.inform.kz/en/regional-employment-road-maps-to-be-adopted-in-kazakhstan_a4013203
  16. The Office of The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (May 25, 2021). 300 billion tenge to be allocated for implementation of Employment Roadmap in 2021.
  17. The Office of The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan. (May 25, 2021). Main emphasis of Employment Roadmap made on creation of permanent jobs — Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population.
  18. Naukenova, Aigerim. (2015). Kazakhstan's and developed countries’ experience in reforming social policy on employment of people with disabilities. ECONOMICS & SOCIOLOGY. 8. 287-297. 10.14254/2071-789X.2015/8-1/22.