In short: Kazakhstan is easier to enter in any occupation, Uzbekistan is more convenient for IT people. Kazakhstan has no salary threshold, but the permit belongs to the employer and falls away when you leave the job. Uzbekistan's IT Visa gives up to 3 years of living and working and a 7.5% tax, while outside IT entry is much tougher. In our ranking Uzbekistan is 35th of 97 and Kazakhstan 55th.
If you have an employer in Kazakhstan and work outside IT: there is no salary threshold, the family enters on the same work visa, fees for a family of three come to about $105 over five years, and under the 2026 pilot permanent residence is possible after a year living in one of seven regions. The price is dependence on the employer: the permit is revoked when you leave with no time to find a new job, a spouse gets no right to work, and permanent residence needs a balance of 5,709,000 tenge proven for five years.
If you work in IT and earned at least $30,000 last year, founded an IT Park resident company or invest: the IT Visa gives up to 3 years of living and working without a separate permit, the family is on the same application, and tax is 7.5%. The price: there is no time-based route to permanent residence, citizenship requires renouncing your old one and a presidential decree, a spouse gets no right to work, and since November 2024 any status can be cancelled through the list of undesirable persons.
Kazakhstan is stronger in 3 of 7 areas, Uzbekistan in 3, tied in 1.
Entry for work is simple: no salary threshold, the family comes on the same work visa with no income threshold, and registered children attend state schools. But the state protects its labour market: quotas for foreign labour are small, and 70% of a company's managers and 90% of its specialists must be Kazakh citizens. The main weakness is security of status: the work permit belongs to the employer and falls away on dismissal together with the residence permit, and a spouse gets no right to work. In 2026 checks on living at the registered address were tightened: a fine, and expulsion for a repeat offence.
For IT people the state has rolled out a red carpet: IT Park works as a one-stop shop, tax is 7.5%, the family is on the same application, there are no mandatory language exams and state schools are free. Outside IT entry is much tougher: employer permits and quotas. The law promises no decision deadline, a spouse gets no right to work, and the registration regime is one of the strictest in the region. Since 15 November 2024 inclusion in the list of undesirable persons cancels any status up to permanent residence and gives 10 days to leave; we found no cases of it being used against expats.
In any occupation, Kazakhstan: the employer gets a permit within the quota and there is no salary threshold. For an IT worker earning at least $30,000 a year, Uzbekistan: the IT Visa lasts up to 3 years with no separate work permit.
Uzbekistan's IT Visa answer comes in 10-30 days in practice. In Kazakhstan the vacancy is first posted for 15 days, then the permit takes 19 working days and the work visa up to 5 working days.
Kazakhstan: about $105 in fees for a family of three over five years. Uzbekistan: about $2,140 for a family of three, almost all of it for registration.
In both, 5 years after permanent residence, and neither allows dual citizenship. Under the 2026 pilot Kazakhstan grants permanent residence after a year in a region; Uzbekistan has no time-based route to permanent residence and grants citizenship by presidential decree.
Neither offers firm ground. Kazakhstan revokes the permit on dismissal and gives no time to look for work. Uzbekistan's rules simply do not say what happens to an IT Visa if you lose your job or clients.
It depends on your occupation. Kazakhstan is open to any worker and cheap to process, but status depends on the employer. Uzbekistan ranks higher on security of status and settling in and suits IT people, but entry is tougher for everyone else and citizenship is nearly out of reach.
Every fact on this page comes from the country pages, where the sources are listed. Checked 01/10/2026.