In the first half of 2026, the number of immigrants from Uzbekistan arriving in Kazakhstan for permanent residence halved compared to the same period last year, totaling 2,894 people, according to infohub.kz.
This is the lowest figure for the first half of the year in the past five years. In official statistics, immigrants are defined as foreigners and stateless persons who have changed their country of permanent residence and registered their place of residence in Kazakhstan.
In previous years, the indicator changed unevenly. In January-June 2022, the number of arrivals from Uzbekistan increased by 132% year-on-year, in 2024 by 51%, and in the first half of 2025 by another 18%.
As a result, over the previous four years, the number of immigrants from Uzbekistan in the first half exceeded 3,000 people. Now the figure has dropped to levels close to those before 2022.
According to DATA HUB, 69% of those arriving from Uzbekistan in January-June were ethnic Kazakhs. They most often chose Almaty and Mangystau regions for permanent residence, accounting for 60% of cases. Another 18% settled in Almaty and Astana.
Despite the decline in arrivals, the migration balance between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan remains positive. This is because the number of people leaving Kazakhstan for Uzbekistan for permanent residence remains insignificant.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that the Ministry of Internal Affairs proposes introducing paid electronic entry permits for foreigners and stateless persons in Kazakhstan. The system is planned to be implemented in stages from August to December 2026, and the draft resolution will be open for public discussion until August 17.