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Resolution No. 890 of 10 October requires nationals of 57 visa-free countries, EAEU states and countries with visa-free agreements to hold an electronic permit for entry and transit. A trial starts on 1 November at Aktau airport and four road crossings including Nurly Zhol, reaches the Astana and Almaty airports on 1 January 2027 and all crossings on 1 March, with no refusals; it is mandatory from 1 July 2027. It is free, valid 180 days, does not extend stays, and needs 72 hours lead time. Twenty-nine categories, including international truck drivers, are exempt. China is not named.

Labour Ministry Order No. 380 takes effect on October 17: when refusing to issue or extend a permit to engage foreign labour, local authorities will no longer send a preliminary decision or hold a hearing, ending the two-day window for objections. New grounds allow processing to be paused for force majeure or the employer's business travel or hospital stay. The seven-working-day decision deadline, intra-corporate transfer terms (up to three years plus one) and the 12-month bar on new permits for occupation mismatches stay. Chinese firms need complete papers on the first filing.

As of October 12, Kazakhstan's QazETA is still running as a pilot. The Interior Ministry says visa-free travelers may apply voluntarily and free of charge, and lacking one is no reason for refusal. The "from November 1" dates come from Serbia's foreign ministry and are unconfirmed by Kazakhstan. Law No. 326-VIII already defines the electronic entry permit and its fee, while the government will decide which countries it covers. We explain the legal text, how to apply in the pilot, and what it means for Chinese business travelers, drivers and employers.

Akmola regional prosecutors said on 24 September that the general director of China's Dalian Hesheng Holdings had twice been refused an investor visa, which was issued after they stepped in. With local partner Asia Altyn Dan LLP, the company is building a wheat deep-processing complex in the Aqmola industrial zone in Arshaly district: three phases, 3 million tonnes of total processing capacity, and 1 million tonnes of wheat a year in phase one. Two official investment figures exist: KZT 300 billion (government, April) and KZT 385 billion (prosecutors, September).

Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister amended the investor visa petition rules by an order of 28 September 2026 (in force 12 October, per Caravan.kz); for Chinese investors this means an individual who invested USD 300,000 or more over 12 months can obtain a petition valid for up to 10 years. Applications go through egov.kz to the Foreign Ministry's Investment Committee, which reviews them within 3 working days. The rules were checked against adilet.zan.kz; the order's number is not in the source and was not yet in the adilet text on 4 October.

On 24 April 2026 the Minister of Labour and Social Protection signed an order amending the 2026 foreign labour quota, effective from 10 May.