Digital Nomad Residency: Kazakhstan Strengthens the Influx of IT Specialists

A roundtable dedicated to developing Kazakhstan as a key destination for international IT talent and "digital nomads" was held today at Astana Hub.

Meeting participants — including leadership of the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, representatives of Astana Hub, and IT specialists themselves — discussed the effectiveness of the Digital Nomad Residency programme and measures to create the most comfortable possible ecosystem for world-class professionals.

Kazakhstan is today actively transforming into a digital country oriented towards technology exports and the development of artificial intelligence. The Digital Nomad Residency programme, launched in January 2025 at the Head of State's instruction, has been an important response to the strategic objective of turning the country into one of the region's leading IT hubs.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev emphasised that attracting foreign experts directly affects the pace of technological progress: "Human capital development is the foundation on which Kazakhstan's prosperity as a digital hub is built. We are committed to making the process of obtaining Digital Nomad status fully digital, transparent, and — most importantly — fast and convenient. The arrival of highly qualified specialists is not merely a statistical figure; it represents an influx of international experience, new competencies, and connections to global markets. Our goal is to create conditions in which every talented IT professional can realise their potential right here, contributing to the Kazakhstani economy."

To date, more than 700 applications have been submitted under digital nomad initiatives from 30 countries worldwide, and over 120 specialists have successfully obtained official status. During the discussion, Astana Hub representatives outlined ambitious targets: by 2030, the aim is to develop 10,000 AI specialists and increase IT service exports to $5 billion. Achieving these figures requires a manifold acceleration that is only possible through active interaction between local talent and incoming experts.

Roundtable participants — practising engineers and analysts from international companies — also shared their experience of relocation and put forward suggestions for further improvements to digital services. The meeting concluded with a decision to continue work in the format of a permanent working group to adapt the programme to the real needs of the IT community.

It is worth recalling that in connection with the programme's implementation, we previously covered the case of Alan and Aziza Salimov — highly qualified specialists holding degrees from Stanford University and UC Berkeley with experience in Silicon Valley. The family chose Kazakhstan for life and work, going through the entire process from submitting an application to receiving the necessary documents in just 20 days, confirming the effectiveness of the digital mechanisms built by the state.