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Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Kazakhstan (RATIFICATION: 1999)

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Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee notes the Government’s reports received in September 2012 and in September 2013 which include information on the results of the Plan of Action to improve the employment system in Kazakhstan 2008–10 and the Strategy for regional development and retraining, adopted in 2009. A total of US$2.3 billion was allocated to fund the Strategy in 2009–10 and close to 9,000 projects were carried out, creating 258,600 jobs in 2009 and 132,000 in 2010. In addition, 200,000 members of target groups obtained temporary jobs subsidized by the State, and 150,000 people were retrained for new occupations. The Government reports that these measures contributed to the reduction of unemployment from 6.9 per cent in the second quarter of 2009 to 5.6 per cent by the end of 2010. According to figures provided by the Government, the level of unemployment in the country has fallen to 5.2 per cent in July 2012, and the number of employed persons increased from 8,114,000 in 2010 to 8,585,000 in July 2012. The Committee notes that the Employment Programme 2020 was adopted in March 2011. The inception phase was implemented in July–December 2011 to test the proposed labour market regulation mechanisms and to adjust them, if necessary. The Programme is aimed at the following specific groups: self employed, unemployed and low-income population. Its main priorities are to enhance motivation to work, promote the growth of productive employment, improve skills training and retraining, and provide social support. The Committee notes the information provided in September 2013 on the expected results in 2016 in terms of poverty reduction, unemployment and self-employment levels. The Government indicates that the proportion of self-employed people in the economically active population fell from 33.3 per cent in 2010 to 31.9 per cent in July 2012. Furthermore, the Government has drawn up a plan to increase the effectiveness of labour market regulation. Under this plan, “employment maps” of the regions are compiled to reflect the situation of the regional employment markets and labour market trends, including self-employment and employment in the rural areas. These “maps” will form the basis for regulating the balance between the regional labour markets, and will make it possible to take comprehensive measures to promote employment, including through the Employment Programme. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the impact of the measures implemented in the context of the Employment Programme 2020 and other major programmes in terms of creating productive employment for its beneficiaries and specific categories of workers, such as women, young persons, rural workers, older workers, workers with disabilities, the self-employed and workers in the informal economy.

Role of employment services in employment promotion. The Committee notes that one of the objectives of the national employment policy is to organize employment services through an authorized public body and private employment agencies. The Committee recalls that public employment services and private agencies are both actors in the labour market and that their common aim is to contribute to a well-functioning labour market and the achievement of full employment (see General Survey concerning employment instruments, 2010, paragraph 728). The Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on the specific means by which employment services contribute towards the attainment of employment policy objectives.

Vocational training. The Government reports that it offers different types of support for training and finding work, which include referrals to free courses of vocational training, retraining and skills upgrading, and wage subsidies for target groups. Businesses are also involved in the training and subsequent employment of those taking part in training programmes and employers can be reimbursed up to 70 per cent of training costs. The Committee notes that one of the objectives of the Employment Programme 2020 has been defined as improving skills training and retraining in light of labour market needs, and providing skills training according to the needs of the economy, based on improved labour market monitoring and forecasting. The Government indicates that, from 2014, forecasts will be made of labour demand and supply, and a methodology will be devised for producing annual estimates and figures with respect to the labour needs of the various economic sectors. The Committee recalls that skills development must be adaptable to local and regional needs. The information provided by many countries in the preparation of the 2010 General Survey showed that the involvement of local communities in the design of training programmes, as well as in the management and control of training institutions, has become a key element in their reforms of education systems (see General Survey concerning employment instruments, 2010, paragraph 116). The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report information on the results of its vocational training programmes and the progress made concerning labour market monitoring and forecasting of skills needs, including their impacts on employment.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners in employment policy design and implementation. The Government indicates that the obligations of the State and of participants in the Employment Programme 2020 are laid down in a social contract. The Committee invites the Government to provide further information on the manner in which representatives of the social partners are consulted concerning employment policies, and what steps are taken to ensure that their views are fully taken into account and how such cooperation is secured for the purposes of formulating and enlisting support for such policies.