Only 3.5% of Qandases Received State Support in 2025

Since the beginning of the year, just over 2,000 ethnic Kazakhs—Qandases—have returned to Kazakhstan, but only a small fraction have received state assistance, Orda.kz reports.

According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, 2,185 ethnic Kazakhs Qandases arrived this year. The majority came from China (46.4%) and Uzbekistan (41%), with smaller numbers arriving from Turkmenistan, Russia, and Mongolia.

In total, more than 1.15 million Qandases have returned to Kazakhstan since independence.

As of March 1, 60.8% of those arriving this year are of working age, 30.8% are children, and 8.4% are pensioners. Their education levels vary: 16.8% have higher education, 30.7% hold vocational diplomas, 50.8% have completed secondary education, and 1.7% have no formal education.

The following labor-deficit regions have been identified for Qandas resettlement: Aqmola, Abay, Kostanay, Pavlodar, Atyrau, West, East, and North Kazakhstan regions, the Ministry of Labor reported. 

Qandases who move to these regions are eligible for state support, including a one-time relocation allowance of 275,200 tenge per family member (70 MCI), and monthly rent and utility subsidies ranging from 59,000 to 118,000 tenge for one year.

Qandases who relocate to northern regions can also apply for an economic mobility certificate, which covers up to 50% of housing costs or up to 4.56 million tenge per family. The funds can be used to purchase or build a home, or as a down payment for a mortgage.

Earlier, we reported on how many ethnic Kazakhs received the Ata Joly card, which grants the right to live and work in Kazakhstan for 10 years.

Original Author: Alina Pak