Employment Contracts

Drafting and reviewing employment contracts compliant with the Kazakhstan Labour Code — mandatory provisions, probationary periods, working time, remuneration, benefits, and termination grounds. Bond Stone advises on adapting multinational group employment templates to Kazakhstani mandatory law requirements.

Termination & Redundancy

Advising on lawful termination of employment under the Kazakhstan Labour Code — grounds for termination, notice periods, severance entitlements, and mandatory conciliation commission procedures. Bond Stone has managed full lifecycle reductions in force (RIF) for international companies — from conciliation commission formation through trilingual termination documentation.

Work Permits & Immigration

Work permit applications for foreign nationals employed in Kazakhstan — employer quotas, work permit categories, application procedures, and compliance with local content requirements. Bond Stone advises on C3 (CEO/deputy) and specialist work permit categories, and on structuring employment arrangements to comply with Kazakhstan’s foreign worker quota system.

Expatriate Employment

Structuring expatriate employment arrangements for foreign nationals working in Kazakhstan — local employment contracts vs. secondment agreements, local content compliance, tax residence implications, and social insurance contribution obligations. Bond Stone advises multinationals on dual employment structures balancing home country and host country obligations.

HR Policy & Compliance

Drafting and reviewing internal HR policies, regulations, and procedures for compliance with Kazakhstani labour law — internal labour regulations, disciplinary procedures, remuneration regulations, and data protection policies. Bond Stone conducts employment law compliance audits for international companies entering or restructuring their Kazakhstan operations.

Employment Disputes

Representing employers in individual labour disputes before Kazakhstan courts and conciliation commissions — wrongful termination claims, unpaid wages disputes, and disciplinary challenge proceedings. Bond Stone advises on pre-litigation strategy and settlement, and represents employers through the full litigation process where settlement is not achievable.

Mandatory employment contract provisions

The Kazakhstan Labour Code Article 28 prescribes mandatory content for all employment contracts — parties, work function, commencement date, working time, remuneration, place of work, and term (fixed or indefinite). Contracts missing mandatory provisions are not void in their entirety but the missing provisions are replaced by the Labour Code defaults — which may not reflect the parties’ intentions.

Probationary periods

Maximum probationary period is 3 months under Article 36 of the Labour Code — 6 months for senior management positions. Termination during probation requires 3 days’ written notice. Probationary period provisions must be expressly included in the employment contract — they cannot be implied.

Working time & overtime

Standard working week is 40 hours under Article 68. Overtime requires employee consent and is limited to 2 hours per day. Overtime compensation is at least 1.5x the regular rate for the first two hours and 2x thereafter. Mandatory annual leave is 24 calendar days minimum.

Foreign worker quotas

Employers in Kazakhstan must comply with annual foreign worker quotas set by the government. The quota system limits the percentage of foreign workers by employment category. Work permits are issued within the quota framework — employers must apply for quota allocation before hiring foreign nationals. Bond Stone advises on quota planning and work permit applications.

Conciliation commission — mandatory pre-litigation

Individual labour disputes in Kazakhstan must go through a conciliation commission before court proceedings — Article 159 of the Labour Code. The conciliation commission is a joint employer-employee body established at the workplace. Bond Stone advises on conciliation commission formation, procedure, and outcome documentation — a step that is frequently overlooked by foreign employers and that can invalidate subsequent court proceedings.

Reduction in Force — International Media Company

Employment · Kazakhstan · Media

Full lifecycle RIF management for an international media company — 5 positions terminated under Article 54 §1(2) of the Labour Code. Trilingual termination documentation prepared, conciliation commission guidance provided, and invoice reissued to client bank.

Outsourced Legal Department — Manufacturing Company

Employment · Kazakhstan · Manufacturing

Bond Stone engaged as outsourced legal department for a multinational manufacturing company — ongoing employment law advisory including contract templates, HR policy review, and employment dispute management across Kazakhstan operations.

CEO Work Permit — Transport Company

Immigration · Kazakhstan · Transport

C3 work permit application for a foreign CEO of a Kazakhstani transport subsidiary — employment contract preparation, permit application management, and ongoing work permit compliance advisory.

Employment Contract Audit — Pharmaceutical Company

Employment · Kazakhstan · Pharmaceuticals

Employment law compliance audit for a foreign pharmaceutical company entering Kazakhstan — review of proposed employment contract templates against Labour Code mandatory provisions, identification of non-compliant clauses, and redrafting to Kazakhstani law standards.

Wrongful Termination Defence — Financial Services

Employment Dispute · Kazakhstan · Financial Services

Defending an international financial services employer in a wrongful termination claim before a Kazakhstani court — strategy: procedural compliance defence and substantive grounds justification. Outcome: claim dismissed.

HR Policy Package — Norwegian Company

Employment · Kazakhstan · Norway

Drafting a full HR policy package for a Norwegian company’s Kazakhstani subsidiary — internal labour regulations, disciplinary procedure, remuneration policy, and data protection policy compliant with Kazakhstani labour and data protection law.

Expat Secondment Structure — Energy Sector

Employment · Kazakhstan · Energy

Structuring an expatriate secondment arrangement for a foreign energy company’s technical specialists working in Kazakhstan — secondment agreement, local content compliance analysis, and social insurance contribution advisory.

Foreign Worker Quota — Construction Project

Immigration · Kazakhstan · Construction

Advising an international construction company on foreign worker quota compliance for a large-scale Kazakhstan project — quota application, permit management for 12 foreign specialists, and ongoing compliance monitoring throughout the project lifecycle.

Executive Compensation — M&A Transaction

Employment · Kazakhstan · M&A

Advising on executive employment terms in the context of an M&A transaction — change of control provisions, golden parachute analysis, and post-acquisition employment contract harmonisation for senior management of the acquired Kazakhstani entity.