Kazakhstan is experiencing a growing demand for the Ata
Zholy card, which is provided to ethnic Kazakhs living abroad for up to 10
years. The country’s government is ready to support those wishing to use it. So
far, 55 Kandas people have been granted the card, and 13 of them have already
arrived in the country. Cardholders have rights to employment, entrepreneurial
activity, social benefits, medical assistance, and free secondary education.
Nevertheless, they are not eligible for civil service positions, cannot be
elected to local government bodies, participate in national referendums, or
vote in elections.
«The Ata Zholy card is available to two groups of people.
The first one includes sought-after professionals such as doctors, teachers,
engineers, and narrow specialists. This pertains to ethnic Kazakhs, who were
born and lived abroad, have acquired valuable knowledge, and wish to apply
their skills in Kazakhstan. The second category focuses on business demand, namely
entrepreneurs, who have successfully implemented business projects abroad and aim
to develop their ventures in Kazakhstan,» said Yerbolat Abulkhatin, spokesperson
for the Kazakh Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population.
Last year, the Ata Zholy migration card was developed
under the instruction of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to attract
professional specialists and successful businesspeople to Kazakhstan. It can be
obtained through the mobile applications «Kutty meken» and «eQonaq» or by
contacting Kazakh embassies abroad. To date, 250 people have already received
consultations at embassies in 18 countries.
