Low wages push young Kazakhstanis to consider moving abroad

Every fifth resident of Kazakhstan is considering leaving the country, though not everyone can afford to do so. Meanwhile, 78.5% of respondents have no plans to leave the country any time soon, according to a recent survey conducted by the Demoscope Bureau.

«Every fifth respondent (21%) is thinking about moving out of the country. Of these, 6.9% intend to leave within the next 2 to 3 years, 5.6% plan to move but currently lack the means and 8.4% are considering relocating under certain circumstances. At the same time, 78.5% of respondents have no intention of leaving the country in the coming years,» the survey report stated.

Young people under 30 are the most likely to express interest in migration. Among those surveyed, 25% of Kazakhstanis aged 18 to 29 expressed a willingness to leave. This figure rises to 30% among respondents in their 30s.

Respondents who expressed an intention to leave were asked to share their reasons for wanting to move.

«The majority cited the pursuit of higher wages (24.5%), a lack of prospects for themselves and their children (23.9%) and the desire to find better job opportunities (14%),» the study revealed.

Four more regions in Kazakhstan may face labor shortages in the coming years due to low birth rates and high levels of population outflow. A demographic crisis is already evident in the Kostanay, North Kazakhstan and East Kazakhstan regions, where the total fertility rate is too low to sustain population growth.