Potential Salary Increase for Teachers and Healthcare Workers in Kazakhstan

The Government of Kazakhstan is currently updating its program to increase public income. As part of this initiative, there are plans to raise the wages of civil servants, specifically targeting educators and medical professionals. This was announced by Azamat Amrin, the First Vice-Minister of National Economy.

According to the Vice-Minister, the program is currently in the coordination phase with government agencies and is scheduled for a formal presentation in May. The document outlines various support mechanisms, including measures for a significant increase in the salaries of public sector employees.

This move comes in response to a 4.1% decline in the real wages of teachers over the past three years. However, Mr. Amrin emphasized that the extent of the salary increase will depend directly on the capacity of the national budget. The process of forming the budget for the upcoming year is already underway.

Earlier, experts from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) forecasted a potential growth in the real income of Kazakhstani citizens in 2026. According to ADB data:

• Inflation rate: Expected to be 10.5% in 2026 and 9.5% in 2027.

• GDP growth: Projected to settle at 4.8% in 2026.

The Ministry of National Economy acknowledged that while the country's economy grew by 6.5% by the end of 2025, this growth has not yet fully impacted the overall well-being of the population.

According to preliminary data from the Bureau of National Statistics, the real income of Kazakhstanis (adjusted for inflation) decreased by 1.1% in 2025, despite a 10.2% growth in nominal income. Currently, the average per capita income stands at 238,070 tenge.

The new program being developed by the government aims to bridge this economic gap and enhance the purchasing power of public sector employees.