Each year, the people of Kazakhstan celebrate a range of cultural, religious and historical public holidays. To allow everyone to get the most from important holidays, employees are generally entitled to days off (or extra pay) on these dates.
As an employer hiring Kazakh nationals, knowing your employees’ rights and having an awareness of these public holidays is vital, and not just to stay in line with regulations.
In Kazakhstan, a positive community in the workplace is important. Appreciating and celebrating key national holidays can foster a spirit of inclusivity, togetherness, and appreciation of Kazakhstan’s history and culture within your company.
Weekends and Public Holidays: Legal Entitlements of Employees and Obligations of Employers
In Kazakhstan, employees can work weekends and holidays at their request. If an employee is to work on a weekend or public holiday at your request, you must obtain written consent from them. However, there are a few exceptional circumstances in which you can ask an employee to work a weekend or holiday without obtaining written consent.
These are:
- For the prevention of certain emergencies.
- For prevention and investigation of accidents related to work, loss of, or damage to property.
- For performing unforeseen and urgent work.
Further details on the specifics of these scenarios can be found in Article 86 of the Labour Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
When an employee agrees or chooses to work weekends or public holidays, they must be given either additional days off to compensate, or a contractually agreed additional payment (at least 1.5x their usual pay). Some company policies may offer additional benefits for working on public holidays, but this is not mandatory. More information on this can be found in Article 109 of the Labour Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Other Important Points for Employers in Kazakhstan
- For rational use of working time during public holidays and on weekends, the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan has the right to transfer weekends to other working days. This is covered in paragraph 5 of Article 84 of the Labour Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
- In Kazakhstan, you are not allowed to employ women with a certificate of pregnancy to work on weekends or during holidays.
Holiday pay and Vacation Time
How is Holiday pay Calculated in Kazakhstan?
The calculation of holiday pay is fairly easy; average daily salary is multiplied by the number of vacation days. To calculate an employee’s average daily salary, simply divide the wages they accrued during the previous working year (12 months) by the number of days they worked in the same period.
How Many Days off on Vacation are Employees Entitled to in Kazakhstan?
Employees in Kazakhstan are entitled to 24 calendar days off on annual leave (excluding holidays). If a vacation falls on a public holiday, they are added to the number of vacation days but are not subject to payment.
List of Public Holidays in Kazakhstan in 2024
- January 1st-2nd: New Year.
- January 7th: Orthodox Christmas.
- March 8th: International Women’s Day.
- March 21st – 23rd: Nauryz Meiramy (Saturday, March 23rd moved to Monday, March 25th for 2024).
- May 1st: Holiday of unity of the people of Kazakhstan.
- May 7th: Defender of the Fatherland Day.
- May 9th: Victory Day.
- The first day of Kurban Ait (in 2024, this is June 17th).
- July 6th: Capital Day (Saturday, July 6th moved to Monday, July 8th for 2024).
- August 30th: Constitution Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
- October 25th: Republic Day.
- December 16th: Independence Day.
List of Public Holidays in Kazakhstan in 2025
- January 1 (Wednesday): New Year’s Day
- January 2 (Thursday): New Year Holiday
- January 7 (Tuesday): Orthodox Christmas Day
- March 8 (Saturday): International Women’s Day
- March 10 (Monday): Day off for International Women’s Day
- March 21 (Friday): Nauryz (Spring Equinox)
- March 22 (Saturday): Nauryz Holiday
- March 23 (Sunday): Nauryz Holiday
- March 24 (Monday): Additional day off for Nauryz Holiday
- May 1 (Thursday): Unity Day
- May 7 (Wednesday): Defender of the Fatherland Day
- May 9 (Friday): Victory Day
- June 6 (Friday): Kurban Ait (Eid al-Adha, tentative date)
- July 6 (Sunday): Day of the Capital
- July 7 (Monday): Additional day off for Day of the Capital
- August 30 (Saturday): Constitution Day
- September 1 (Monday): Additional day off for Constitution Day
- October 25 (Saturday): Republic Day
- December 16 (Tuesday): Independence Day
Are There any Unique Regulations for Specific Public Holidays for Companies in Kazakhstan?
Currently, there are no unique regulations for specific public holidays in Kazakhstan.
Manage Public Holidays in Kazakhstan With Leinonen
Understanding operations in a new country can be confusing. With 34 years in business and over 1500 satisfied customers spanning 11 countries, Leinonen can offer all the trusted advice you need.
To find out how we can help with all things accounting, tax and payroll for your Kazakhstan base base, get in touch today.
