In Kazakhstan, the trade sector has become the largest employer, with every sixth employed resident working there. As of the second quarter of 2026, the total number of employed people reached 9.4 million, according to infohub.kz.
According to the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 7.3 million people were employed, while 2.1 million were self-employed. The largest share of workers—16.8 percent—is concentrated in trade. This is followed by education (13.3 percent), industry (12.4 percent), agriculture (10.5 percent), transport and warehousing (7.1 percent), construction (6.8 percent), and healthcare and social services (6.6 percent).
Compared to the second quarter of 2025, employment grew in several sectors. The most significant increase was in real estate operations—up by 37,000 people. In education, the number of workers increased by 31,100, and in healthcare by 21,200 people.
Positive dynamics were also recorded in arts, entertainment, and recreation (up by 15,100 people), professional, scientific, and technical activities (up by 7,700), and financial and insurance activities (up by 7,400 people).
Earlier, the head of the Almaty employment department noted an existing imbalance between job seekers' expectations and employers' offers.