Alona Lebedieva: Kazakhstan is turning migration policy into an instrument of economic competition

KYIV, UKRAINE, May 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Kazakhstan is preparing a major update of its migration policy. At first glance, this may seem like a purely technical issue – visas, residence permits, and procedures for foreigners. But in reality, it is part of a much broader process. The country is trying to change the very logic of attracting external resources: to become attractive not only to investors in raw-material sectors, but also to entrepreneurs, technology teams, highly qualified specialists, and long-term capital. This was stated by Alona Lebedieva, owner of the Ukrainian diversified industrial and investment group of companies Aurum Group.

The decree of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dated April 25, 2026, effectively sets a new model of migration policy for Kazakhstan. Instead of the traditional approach based on permits, quotas, and restrictions, the country is moving toward a more flexible system of incentives. Its goal is not merely to control the entry of foreigners, but to attract those who can bring added value to the economy: investors, entrepreneurs, skilled workers, scientists, IT specialists, managers, and professionals for investment projects.

One of the key elements of this policy is expected to be the Altyn Visa, or Golden Visa. This is an instrument for those who are ready not simply to come to the country for a short period, but to connect their long-term business or professional plans with it. Earlier, Kazakhstan had already launched an investor visa for foreigners who invest at least USD 300,000 in the authorized capital of Kazakhstani companies or in local securities. Such a model opens the way to long-term residence and makes the country more understandable for people who consider it a platform for work, investment, or regional business development.

According to Alona Lebedieva, this is an important signal for the entire region. In today’s economy, countries compete not only for money, mineral deposits, or export markets. They compete for people who know how to create businesses, build production facilities, launch technological solutions, form teams, and bring international connections with them. Today, capital moves to where there are not only tax incentives, but also clear rules, high-quality services, proper communication with the state, and a predictable environment for living and working.

For Kazakhstan, this is especially important. The country has a strong resource base, a favorable geographical location, and has long aspired to the role of one of the key economic centers of Central Asia. But the next stage of development cannot rely solely on oil, metals, transit, or large state infrastructure projects. For the economy to create more added value, people are needed – engineers, technologists, financiers, entrepreneurs, digital solutions specialists, and international-level managers.

That is why migration policy is gradually becoming part of economic policy. Kazakhstan is trying to move from a logic of control to a logic of attraction. Not simply to limit the flow of foreign labor, but to build a system that makes it possible to find and retain more quickly those who can strengthen the economy. In this model, the digitalization of procedures, the simplification of visa regimes, faster access to public services, and a clearer path to long-term stay in the country become important.

In Alona Lebedieva’s opinion, such a policy is part of a broader competition in Eurasia. Kazakhstan wants to be not only a country of resources, but also a platform for capital, technologies, and professional teams. If these decisions work not only at the level of declarations, they may strengthen the country’s position as a regional hub between Europe and Asia – not only a logistics or raw-material hub, but also an investment, production, and innovation hub.

Alona Lebedieva
Aurum Group
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