The process for applying for a civil service position differs significantly from the traditional private sector employment process and is currently conducted digitally. Candidate selection takes place through the integrated information system "E-Kyzmet" and includes several stages: preliminary testing and participation in a competition. These stages require careful preparation, and this article describes each in detail.
For senior administrative government positions in Corps B, one of the selection stages is an essay. No more than five candidates with the highest scores in the personal qualities assessment are admitted to the essay writing stage. In the event of a tie, more candidates are admitted. If only one candidate applies, they are also admitted to this stage. Essay topics are generated by the HR department for the relevant functional area and posted in the system. The topic is sent to the candidate's personal account. The essay writing date is determined automatically by the system. Before beginning, the candidate is familiarized with the instructions for completing this stage. Essay writing is completed online through the Е-қызмет system at a time convenient for the candidate within the established system schedule, in the state or Russian language (for certain job categories, in a foreign language in accordance with legislation). Essays are no more than 250 words long and take no more than 45 minutes to complete. The essay writing stage is recorded by the system using video. A candidate competing for multiple positions completes an essay for each position separately. After completion, the essay is submitted to a proctor for review. If there are no violations, the work is submitted to the selection committee for evaluation. The essay is graded on a five-point scale in accordance with the established methodology. At least two-thirds of the selection committee participates in the evaluation. If none of the admitted candidates participates in the essay writing stage, the competition automatically ends.
Submission of documents for participation in the general competition is carried out electronically through the E-Kyzmet information system. The system creates an electronic candidate personal file (Resume) based on data from government information systems. To participate in the competition, candidates must register and log in to the system, verify the accuracy of their Resume, supplement and correct information (education, work experience, etc.) if necessary, indicate the functional areas for each work record, and submit an application. The system automatically requests and verifies information about the presence of a test certificate for knowledge of the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the state language, the results of a personal assessment, and compliance with the conditions for admission to civil service.
During the application acceptance period and within one business day after its close, the HR department verifies the candidate's electronic personal file (Resume) for compliance with the qualification requirements of the vacant position.
During the verification process, the HR department reviews the candidates' applications, verifies the completeness of the submitted documents, and checks compliance with the conditions for admission to civil service. If necessary, the candidate is notified through the system about the need to supplement documents or correct their resume. The candidate is given the opportunity to supplement documents and make changes once within the specified deadline. A candidate will not be admitted to the competition if they do not meet the qualification requirements, fail to submit or provide incomplete documents, or submit false information. In the event of a refusal, the system sends a corresponding notification to the candidate. Unjustified denial of admission to the competition is not permitted even if a complete set of documents is submitted. After reviewing the documents, the system generates a list of candidates admitted to the competition. Upon admission, the candidate is assigned a personal identification number, which is used for anonymous participation in the competition.
Reference Information
To participate in the competition, candidates must upload the following documents in the "Resume" section in PDF format:
- work record and/or work history (for positions requiring length of service as qualification requirements). In the absence of a work record book and work history, documents confirming employment history may be submitted in accordance with Article 35 of the Labor Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
- educational documents and their appendices;
- if necessary, a certificate confirming qualifications in a specific field.
For senior administrative government positions in Corps B, the interview is the final stage of the selection process and is conducted after the essay writing stage. Only candidates who successfully complete the essay writing stage are eligible for the interview.
The interview is conducted via videoconference through the Е-қызмет system, using a link sent to the candidate's personal account with the date and time. The interview typically begins the next business day after the essay writing stage. Candidates competing for multiple positions are interviewed separately for each position.
The selection committee develops a list of questions based on job responsibilities. Candidates for the same position are asked the same questions in equal numbers. The interview is conducted in the state or Russian language (at the candidate's choice), or in a foreign language for certain categories of positions (in accordance with legislation).
The interview lasts no more than 15 minutes. During the interview, the candidate's professional knowledge, skills, and personal qualities are assessed; questions beyond the job description are not permitted. The evaluation is conducted individually by members of the competition committee using an electronic digital signature.
A decision is considered valid if at least two-thirds of the committee (but no less than three members) participate.
The personal qualities of candidates for Corps B administrative government positions are assessed through testing according to the relevant programs.
Candidates have the right to take a personal qualities assessment test prior to the start of the competition or during the application period for participation in the competition.Testing can be taken, at the candidate's discretion, on the external internet portal eqyzmet.gov.kz or in specially equipped testing rooms run by the Selection Procedure Administrator.
To participate in the test, candidates submit an application on the eeqyzmet.gov.kz. Registration for the test is confirmed by a notification generated by the system. When taking the test in a testing room, registration is done through the e-government web portal.
Testing is conducted in the E-Qyzmet information system according to a schedule generated by the system. Before testing, candidates are familiarized with the instructions. Corrections to their answers are permitted during the test until the end of the allotted time. Based on the test results, the candidate is sent a report, which is valid for one year from the date of testing.
Testing Programs:
For Corps B executive administrative government positions, testing is conducted according to Program I and includes assessment of the following competencies: proactivity, communication, analytical thinking, strategic thinking, leadership, ethics, results-oriented approach, intolerance to corruption, responsibility, and performance management. Each competency consists of 12 questions. The minimum score for passing the test is 30 points, with a minimum of 2.5 points for each competency.
For Corps B non-executive administrative government positions, testing is conducted according to Program II and includes assessment of the following competencies: proactivity, communication, analytical thinking, ethics, results-oriented approach, intolerance to corruption, and responsibility. Each competency consists of 12 questions. The minimum score for passing the test is 20 points, with a minimum of 2.5 points for each competency. For entry-level administrative government positions in Corps B (with no work experience requirement), testing is conducted according to the third program and includes tasks assessing logical thinking (30 tasks), value orientations (30 tasks), and emotional intelligence (72 tasks). A threshold is set: at least 10 correct answers for logical thinking; no threshold is set for value orientations or emotional intelligence. The total test time is up to 120 minutes, including 30 minutes for logical thinking tasks.
Additional conditions
Candidates may take the personal qualities assessment test no more than three times within a calendar month until they receive a "Pass" result. Candidates who score above the threshold and wish to improve may retake the test after three months. The highest test result is considered for participation in the competition. Proctoring is used during testing. If any violations are detected, the test results are annulled. After completing the test, the results are sent to the proctor for verification. If no violations are found, the candidate's status is changed to "Passed."
When taking the online test, the candidate must ensure proper technical equipment, attend in person, be present, be present, and comply with proctoring requirements. Failure to comply with established requirements will result in the test results being voided. In the event of a technical failure, the test is automatically terminated, and the candidate must contact technical support within 24 hours to reschedule.
Candidates for Building "B" are tested in the halls in the presence of an operator and strictly adhere to objectivity: a metal detector is used to check for prohibited electronic devices, and those arriving late are not allowed to participate. During the test, participants are prohibited from talking, exchanging materials, or using any media. Violation of these requirements or the identification of a fake person will result in the cancellation of results and a ban on retaking the test for a period of 6 months to 1 year. After the allotted time, correct answers are calculated automatically, and the results are sent to the candidate's personal account within 20 minutes.
For more information on testing procedures, please refer to the current Rules, Programs, and Organization of Testing for Administrative Civil Servants and Applicants for Administrative Civil Service Positions.
Services
Registration for personal qualities assessment testing in OFFLINE FORMAT (in testing rooms) is available through the e-government web portal eGov.kz.
Testing is available online.
Citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan who meet the qualification requirements, are capable of fulfilling their official duties based on their personal and professional qualities, health, and educational level, and have not reached the retirement age established by the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan may be admitted to civil service. This age limit does not apply to political government positions for which the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan define the terms of office. In cases not provided for in this article, a person who has reached retirement age may be appointed to a political government position only by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Age restrictions for citizens applying for positions in law enforcement agencies and civil defense agencies are established by the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Citizens who are:
1) under the age of eighteen, unless the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan establishes other requirements for the relevant government positions;
2) have been declared legally incompetent or partially incompetent by a court;
3) have been deprived by a court of the right to hold government office for a specified period;
4) has an illness that prevents the performance of official duties, based on the conclusion of a medical institution, in cases where special health requirements for occupying the relevant government positions are established in the qualification requirements;
5) has refused to accept the restrictions established by the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan in order to prevent actions that could lead to the use of his status and the authority based on it for personal, group, or other non-official interests;
6) was dismissed within two years before entering the civil service for committing a disciplinary offense that discredits the civil service, as well as was dismissed within one year before entering the civil service for failure to comply with the restrictions established by the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan or official ethics;
6-1) who, within three years before entering the civil service, was dismissed from political civil service due to loss of trust;
7) who, within three years prior to entering the civil service, was subject to an administrative penalty for committing an administrative corruption offence, except for the case where he was first brought to administrative responsibility as a civil servant for hiring a person who had failed to submit a declaration of assets and liabilities;
8) who has committed a corruption offence;
9) who, within three years prior to entering the civil service, was convicted of a criminal offence by a court or who, within three years prior to entering the civil service, was released from criminal liability for a criminal offence on the basis of paragraphs 3), 4), 9), 10) and 12) of Part One of Article 35 or Article 36 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
9-1) in respect of whom, within five years prior to entering the civil service, a court has rendered a guilty verdict for committing a crime of minor gravity, or who, within five years prior to entering the civil service, was released from criminal liability for committing a crime of minor gravity on the basis of paragraphs 3), 4), 9), 10) and 12) of Part One of Article 35 or Article 36 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
9-2) in respect of whom, within eight years prior to entering the civil service, a court has rendered a guilty verdict for committing a crime of medium gravity, or who, within eight years prior to entering the civil service, was released from criminal liability for committing a crime of medium gravity on the basis of paragraphs 3), 4), 9), 10) and 12) of Part One of Article 35 or Article 36 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In this case, a citizen who has or has had a criminal record or has been released from criminal liability on the basis of paragraphs 3), 4), 9), 10) and 12) of Part One of Article 35 or Article 36 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan for committing a crime of medium gravity against the individual, family and minors, peace and security of mankind, the foundations of the constitutional order and state security, property, the interests of service in commercial and other organizations, public safety and public order, public health and morality, the interests of civil service and public administration, the order of administration, justice and the procedure for the execution of punishments, constitutional proceedings, as well as for committing a crime of medium gravity in the sphere of economic activity shall not be admitted to civil service;
10) having a criminal record that
For non-managerial and low-level administrative government positions in Corps B, a practical assessment is conducted, beginning the next business day after candidates are admitted to the competition. No more than five candidates with the highest scores in the personal qualities assessment are admitted to the practical assessment stage. In the event of a tie, more candidates are admitted. If only one candidate applies, they are also admitted to this stage. Candidates are notified through the system with a deadline for the practical assessment.
The practical assessment is conducted remotely through the Е-қызмет system, within one business day of notification of admission, in the state or Russian language (or, for certain categories of positions, in a foreign language). Candidates competing for multiple positions undergo a practical assessment for each position separately. The practical assessment is aimed at assessing skills relevant to the functional responsibilities of the position. For non-managerial positions, tasks include preparing an analytical report based on the proposed materials, preparing official letters, requests, or responses to inquiries from individuals and legal entities in accordance with the law.
For entry-level positions (without work experience requirements), tasks include completing tasks to determine general knowledge, testing understanding of the specifics of the government agency, and assessing the candidate's ability to express thoughts logically and clearly. Tasks are generated by the government agency in advance and uploaded to the system. Upon completion of this stage, the system automatically selects two tasks for completion. Candidates for the same position complete identical tasks in equal numbers. The candidate completes the tasks online through the system, at a convenient time within the established schedule (no later than 9:00 PM), within no more than 120 minutes from the moment the task is opened.
Before beginning, the candidate is familiarized with the instructions. After completing the tasks, the results are automatically sent to the proctor for review and evaluation by the selection committee. The evaluation is conducted in the system using an electronic digital signature. The decision is considered valid if at least two-thirds of the committee members (but no less than three people) participate.
If a candidate fails to appear for the practical assessment, their participation in the competition is terminated. If no candidate participates in this stage, the competition automatically ends.
Candidates have the right to take a test on their knowledge of the state language and the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan before the start of the competition or during the application period for participation in the competition.
The test can be taken, at the candidate's discretion, on the external internet portal eqyzmet.gov.kz or in specially equipped testing rooms run by the Selection Procedure Administrator. To participate in the test, candidates submit an application on the eqyzmet.gov.kz portal and independently select the date and time for the test. Registration for the test is confirmed by a notification generated by the system.
For in-room testing, registration is done through the e-government web portal.
The state language and legislation testing for candidates for Corps B administrative government positions includes:
A 20-question test on the state language of the Republic of Kazakhstan, lasting 20 minutes; 15 questions on the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan; 15 questions on the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Civil Service of the Republic of Kazakhstan"; 15 questions on the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Combating Corruption"; and 10 questions on the Ethics Code of Civil Servants of the Republic of Kazakhstan, approved by Decree No. 153 of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated December 29, 2015.
The minimum score for passing the knowledge test on the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan is at least 30 correct answers out of the total number of questions on regulatory legal acts, with at least five correct answers for each regulatory legal act. The total time required to complete the knowledge tests on the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan is 55 minutes. There is no threshold for passing the knowledge test on the state language of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Upon successful completion of the test, the candidate will receive an electronic certificate in their personal account. This certificate is valid for one year from the date of testing. During the certificate's validity period, retesting is not required. If the result falls below the established limits, the candidate will be sent a certificate, and a retest will be permitted no sooner than three calendar days later.
When taking the online test, the candidate must ensure proper technical equipment, personal participation, the absence of unauthorized persons, and compliance with proctoring requirements. Failure to comply with established requirements will result in the test being voided. In the event of a technical failure, the test will be automatically terminated, and the candidate will contact technical support within twenty-four hours to reschedule.
Candidates for Building "B" will be tested in the halls in the presence of an operator and strictly objective. A metal detector will be used to check for prohibited electronic devices, and anyone arriving late will not be admitted. Participants are prohibited from talking, sharing materials, or using any media during the test. Violation of these requirements or the identification of a fictitious person will result in the results being cancelled and a ban on retaking the test for a period of 6 months to 1 year. After the allotted time has passed, correct answers are calculated automatically, and the results are sent to the candidate's personal account within 20 minutes.
Civil servants participating in the competition are not tested for knowledge of the state language and the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan. For more information on the testing procedure, please refer to the current Rules, Programs, and Organization of Testing for Administrative Civil Servants and Candidates for Administrative Civil Service Positions.
Services
Registration for testing of civil servants, applicants for vacant administrative civil service positions, and citizens applying for law enforcement and civil defense service in OFFLINE FORMAT (in testing rooms) is carried out through the e-government web portal eGov.kz.
Registration and completion of the ONLINE test for knowledge of the state language and the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan is carried out in the system.
The competition is held by the government agency with vacant and/or temporarily vacant administrative government positions in Corps B. Competitions are divided into internal and general. The internal competition is held among civil servants of the given government agency. If a suitable candidate is unavailable, a general competition is held for all citizens. For entry-level positions, only a general competition is held.
The general competition includes the following:
Information about vacancies is published on the external internet portal "eqyzmet.gov.kz" of the integrated information system "E-Qyzmet," where applications are submitted, as well as on the website of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Civil Service Affairs and on the electronic labor exchange enbek.kz.