Doing business in Kazakhstan

An LLP that qualifies as a private business entity is registered within 1 working day where the application is filed electronically through the e-government portal with a digital signature.

If the foreign founder has no Kazakhstan individual or business identification number, registration takes until the next working day. Joint-stock companies with a non-standard charter and organisations outside private business take 5 working days.

A branch or representative office of a foreign legal entity is registered within the same timeframes.

The minimum charter capital of an LLP is 100 MCI (KZT 432,500 at the 2026 MCI of KZT 4,325). For small business entities no minimum is set — the capital may be zero.

For a joint-stock company the minimum is 50,000 MCI, that is KZT 216,250,000.

A non-cash contribution above 20,000 MCI must be measured by an independent valuer.

The LLP is the standard vehicle for investors: participants' liability is limited to their contributions, a model charter may be used, and notarisation is not required for small and medium business.

A branch of a foreign company is not a separate legal entity and normally creates a permanent establishment: 20% corporate income tax plus 15% branch profits tax on net income.

A representative office may carry out representative functions only and cannot conduct business activity.

Sole proprietorship is available to residents only: a foreign national without a residence permit cannot register as an individual entrepreneur.

There is no general cap on foreign ownership in most sectors, but there are exceptions.

Mass media — no more than 20% foreign ownership. Long-distance and international telecom operators — no more than 49% of voting shares without clearance. Airlines — no more than 49%. Trunk pipelines — foreign ownership is prohibited.

Agricultural land and land in the border zone are not available to foreign nationals or foreign entities, either in ownership or under lease. Private security activity is closed to foreign participation.

In subsoil use the state holds a priority right and transfers of subsoil use rights require government approval.

Corporate income tax is 20%. Banks and the gambling business pay 25%, social-sphere organisations 5% in 2026, agricultural producers 3%.

VAT rose to 16% from 1 January 2026, up from 12%. The mandatory registration threshold was reduced to 10,000 MCI (KZT 43,250,000 a year); the application is filed within 5 working days of exceeding it. Exports are zero-rated, medicines are at 5% in 2026 and periodicals at 10%.

Personal income tax is now progressive: 10% on income up to 8,500 MCI a year and 15% above that. Social tax is 6%.

Withholding taxes for non-residents: dividends, interest and royalties 15%; services (management, consulting, engineering, legal) 20%; payments to blacklisted jurisdictions 20%. The former exemption for dividends on holdings of more than three years was abolished from 2026. Rates may be reduced under double tax treaties, as modified by the MLI.

The 2026 minimum monthly wage is KZT 85,000 and the monthly calculation index (MCI) is KZT 4,325.

On top of payroll the employer pays social tax of 6%, employer pension contributions of 3.5%, social contributions of 5% and medical insurance contributions of 3%.

Withheld from the employee: personal income tax at 10/15%, mandatory pension contributions of 10% and medical insurance contributions of 2%.

Each payment has its own contribution base cap, ranging from 7 to 50 minimum wages.

A foreign workforce permit is issued by the local executive body across four categories: heads of organisations, heads of structural units, specialists and skilled workers.

Local content rules apply to staffing: at least 70% of managers and at least 90% of specialists and skilled workers must be Kazakhstan nationals.

No permit is required for nationals of the Eurasian Economic Union states, holders of a residence permit, first executives and founders of wholly foreign-owned companies, or for intra-corporate transfers.

Employing a foreign national without a permit carries a fine of 100 to 700 MCI.

IFRS is mandatory for large business entities, public interest entities and financial institutions. Medium-sized business applies IFRS for SMEs and small business the national standard.

Statutory audit applies to joint-stock companies, banks, insurers, civil aviation organisations, companies holding investment contracts and LLPs with more than 250 employees.

Public interest entities file annual financial statements and the auditor's report with the financial reporting depository by 31 August of the following year.

The Astana International Financial Centre operates under law based on the principles and precedents of the law of England and Wales, with its own court and arbitration centre. Its official language is English.

Participant tax benefits run to 1 January 2066: exemption from corporate income tax on income from financial services and from legal, audit, accounting and consulting services provided to AIFC bodies and participant financial organisations.

Foreign employees of AIFC participants are exempt from personal income tax, and there are reliefs on property tax, land tax and certain services for VAT.

Registration goes through the AFSA regulator; requirements depend on whether the activity is licensed.

The law places no restriction on the repatriation of profits and dividends to foreign participants. Transfers go through an authorised bank with withholding tax applied.

Capital movement contracts with non-residents above USD 500,000 require a contract registration number. For export and import contracts the threshold is USD 50,000 and the number must be obtained before performance begins.

Export and import contracts are subject to the repatriation regime: proceeds must be received within the contractual deadlines.

The Transfer Pricing Law applies to cross-border transactions, including those with related parties, and applies the arm's length principle.

The notification of participation in a multinational group is filed by 1 September of the year following the reporting year.

The local file is filed by a group member with income of at least 5,000,000 MCI, within 12 months after the reporting year. The master file and country-by-country report apply where consolidated group income is EUR 750 million or more.

The transaction monitoring report is filed by 15 May of the year following the reporting year.