Work Obligation
The three-year work obligation for the NU Educational Grant Holders
Citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan who have studied in medical and other specialties on the basis of the state educational order are required to work for at least three years in the manner determined by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Law "On Education" of the Republic of Kazakhstan, article 47, paragraph 17).
You can familiarize yourself with official rules though this link.
More information and instructions can be found below.
You can familiarize yourself with official rules though this link.
More information and instructions can be found below.
Here are all the contact channels
Carefully read through this page and all the presented materials, as well as FAQ section, and if you still have any questions, you can:
- Write an email to workobligation@nu.edu.kz
- Make an appointment with NU CAC via Careernet platform
- Contact Financial Center via email: fincenter@fincenter.kz
- Contact Financial Center via phone: 8(7172)69-50-32, 69-50-34, 69-50-56, 69-50-57, 69-50-58
Important information
All needed key points, deadlines, conditions - included in the presentation down below, alongside with the Zoom recording of the webinar conducted on March 1, 2023 with the representatives of JSC "Financial Center".
Zoom recording of the session that was held on March 1, 2023. Representatives of JSC "Financial Center" along with NU CAC highlighted important points and answered questions from the audience
workobligation@nu.edu.kz
We created an inbox solely dedicated to three-year Work Obligation issues.
We ask you to look into all the information presented above along with the Frequently Asked Questions section below.
Feel free to write us any questions or concerns that you did not find here,
and expect an answer in the near future!
We ask you to look into all the information presented above along with the Frequently Asked Questions section below.
Feel free to write us any questions or concerns that you did not find here,
and expect an answer in the near future!
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers of JSC "Financial Center" representatives to the most popular questions of NU students.
FC response: Young specialists after graduation, after receiving a diploma, are subject to job referral according to the provided certificates, employer’s letters and are subject to monitoring by the Financial Center from September 1. We get answers from the MIO (local executive bodies), the Health Department, the Education Department and answers from the Ministry of Labor on pensions and registration at employment centers. And if young specialists have not arrived to the job referral place, in the database of the Financial Center a mark "not arrived" is put and then notifications are sent to all who have not arrived that if they work, they must provide a certificate or an order that they work and we register them. Within three years, if young specialists change jobs, they have to provide us with supporting documents. Every year we get answers from the MIO and confirmation of whether a young specialist is working in that organization or not. Every quarter or every six months we get answers from the Ministry of Labor and follow up.
FC response: It is a mandatory requirement to work according to the specialty for professionals who complete pedagogical and medical specialties - they must work in educational and medical fields. For other specialties, they can work for any organization, and of course we do not track their specialty - they can work for any specialty.
FC response: Young specialists who have completed the medical specialties shall work in medical organizations. Not necessarily in public ones, they can work in private ones.
FC response: In general, there is a three-year work obligation, but the word that it must be continuous - is not stated there. In fact, there are different situations and young specialists change jobs, or they are reduced, or due to some other circumstances beyond their control, they change jobs, they remain unemployed. Of course, we treat such cases with understanding and give some time to find a job. So it's not like it's three years straight - there's no such thing.
If young specialists work and go on maternity leave - being on maternity leave also counts as fulfillment of the three-year work obligation.
If young specialists work and go on maternity leave - being on maternity leave also counts as fulfillment of the three-year work obligation.
FC response: The Rules state that after the Job Placement Committee meeting, specialists will receive Job Referral Letters and must arrive at their place of work no later than September 1. But some young specialists are already working after graduation, they start working in July or August, then we count the period from August or July already as a work obligation fulfillment. No later than September 1, but they may start earlier.
FC response: No, unfortunately the Young Specialist Referral Rules and the Law “On education” do not provide for a deferral to begin the fulfillment of work obligation. The deferral is granted only to persons who are on compulsory military service. There is no such thing as postponement; all should start to fulfill the work obligation.
FC response: If a young specialist first completes a bachelor's degree and if he immediately enters a master's program, he is exempted from work obligation. After he finishes his master's degree, he will have to work off his master's degree and he will not have to work off his bachelor's degree. The total is three years, if he enters the master’s program the same year he graduated from the bachelor’s program.
FC response: The Law was amended in 2021, in case of expulsion, in case of transfer from a grant to a paid tuition; the student will have a commensurate amount of work obligation after graduation. In the amended 2023 Rules, there is an elaborated formula that is used for calculation of the proportionality of the work obligation. Therefore, in this case, a special formula will be used to calculate the proportionality of the work obligation.
Article 47, paragraph 17, subparagraph 3 (Law "On Education" of the Republic of Kazakhstan) - "deductions from the organization of higher and (or) postgraduate education, subject to subsequent recovery during the current or next academic year."
Article 47, paragraph 17, subparagraph 3 (Law "On Education" of the Republic of Kazakhstan) - "deductions from the organization of higher and (or) postgraduate education, subject to subsequent recovery during the current or next academic year."
FC response: Nowadays, given the circumstances of the job, the Financial Center has begun to accept work in the IE. But the mandatory condition is that this IE must be officially registered, there shall be a state registration card, notification as a taxpayer and pension deductions have to be done. Only in this case we do accept the fulfillment of work obligation in the IP. As self-employed we do not accept. It is a mistake of many young specialists, when they themselves transfer from Kaspi pension deductions to themselves and think they did pension deductions – we do not accept as self-employed.
FC response: I understand that a startup is a new trend; this is when some developing company starts its activities. The point is that the Rules prescribe that the period of the work obligation is counted from the date of the employment contract conclusion - it is stated in paragraph 28 of the Rules for the job placement of young specialists. That is, if the startup provides that there will be an employment contract, some official employment, then in this case we can accept the work for the organization for which the startup was approved - only in this case.
FC response: No, it won't. We will count after the diploma, after the completion of studies, after the order of graduation. After that, if the young specialist is working, then we can accept.
FC response: No, fulfilment of work obligation in foreign countries are not accepted - only within Kazakhstan.
FC response: Once a student completes, is sent to work, and then enters graduate/doctoral programs and is exempted from the work-study obligation by the Job Placement Committee, then he or she is already exempted from the work obligation. We can no longer say here you are dismissed, the Commission will no longer meet and redo the job referral for him, that is, he is already exempted once. We don't look at this matter further, we don't monitor this person, we don't look for this person.
FC response: In this case, there is no exemption. You see, the Commission for Placement is created for one calendar year. Therefore, we say that only those who entered in the year of graduation are subject to exemption, that is, if they completed in 2023, entered in 2023, provided you with certificates / orders for admission to a master's / doctoral program, then in this case they can be exempted from the work obligation, they are subject to exemption.
FC response: We accept enrollment in the master's program until the end of the year, we have additional job placement protocols in September and in December. If a student brings an enrollment letter, this student is exempted from work obligation by additional job placement protocol.
FC response: If he completed the studies, started to work, then decided again to pursue education, in this case he can pay for the two years that he did not work out, commensurately with the time of actual work. This person is not subject to the exemption after one year.
FC response: If a young specialist was referred to the employment center and she was registered there, and then the specialist is registered for about a year and becomes pregnant, in this case there is such a point in the Rules, if a young specialist did everything according to the rules of placement, that is, a young specialist was referred to the employment center and she was registered and she still remains and becomes pregnant, then after the childbirth the employment center automatically removes her from the list, because she will later receive benefit, she will have pension deductions based on benefit. That's why there is an additional job referral foreseen in the Rules, for this the university has to provide all the supporting documents and the university has to redo job referral of this young specialist by the decision of the Job Placement Commission, because the employment center cannot send the young specialist on maternity leave, the university has to redo the job referral.
Regarding the fact that if a young specialist was referred to work, there was no pregnancy or marriage at the time of job referral, then in the course of work, it is of course life, gets married, decides to have a baby, then of course the young specialist must take maternity leave from her place of employment and when she goes on maternity leave, gives the Financial Center an order about the maternity leave and the time she is on maternity leave will be counted as the fulfillment of work obligation. So young specialists should not be afraid of the three-year work obligation and think that three years should work uninterruptedly and no marriage or childbirth is allowed during this time - there is no such approach. Of course, they can officially go on maternity leave, officially provide orders from the place of work, subsequently the birth certificate of the child and this time is counted as the fulfillment of work obligation.
Regarding the fact that if a young specialist was referred to work, there was no pregnancy or marriage at the time of job referral, then in the course of work, it is of course life, gets married, decides to have a baby, then of course the young specialist must take maternity leave from her place of employment and when she goes on maternity leave, gives the Financial Center an order about the maternity leave and the time she is on maternity leave will be counted as the fulfillment of work obligation. So young specialists should not be afraid of the three-year work obligation and think that three years should work uninterruptedly and no marriage or childbirth is allowed during this time - there is no such approach. Of course, they can officially go on maternity leave, officially provide orders from the place of work, subsequently the birth certificate of the child and this time is counted as the fulfillment of work obligation.
FC response: We had a case, a young specialist got married and was referred to the place of residence of her husband, she didn’t find a job there, she provided a certificate that she doesn’t have a job and from the employment center that there were no vacancies. After that, the university considers and by decision of the Commission, such a specialist can be exempted as soon as all documents are provided – a document on employment that the specialist does not have a job and from the employment center, because we send to the employment center as unemployed at the place of registration.
FC response: We have not yet accepted an electronic signature, but this year some universities want to use a digital signature, if our management says that it is acceptable, then we will accept it. Young specialists must sign the Referrals to Work during the job referral process. The Job Placement Commission of the university must collect all certificates and employers’ letters before the Job Placement Commission meeting. The Job Placement Commission should make the job referral of young specialists to the place of work which was mentioned in the employers’ letters or certificates. The signing of the Referral to Work is obligatory as it is a mandatory document after the completion of studies.
FC response: We do not monitor foreign grants. If a specialist studied on a grant and enrolls the same year for further education, the specialist is exempted from work obligation.
As far as we understand, the question is that a specialist is studying on a state grant at your university at this very moment, which means that this particular grant must be worked out and the fact that a specialist is studying at a foreign university is not a basis for exemption from work obligation. If the specialist graduated and immediately entered another program, in this case, an order or certificate of enrollment must be provided and the specialist is exempted from work obligation.
Translation of the documents into the state languages must be notarized.
As far as we understand, the question is that a specialist is studying on a state grant at your university at this very moment, which means that this particular grant must be worked out and the fact that a specialist is studying at a foreign university is not a basis for exemption from work obligation. If the specialist graduated and immediately entered another program, in this case, an order or certificate of enrollment must be provided and the specialist is exempted from work obligation.
Translation of the documents into the state languages must be notarized.
FC response: You can work in private clinics. It is not allowed to work in other fields because the doctors shall work only in their field (i.e. medical field). The question regarding work for graduates of the MD program is under negotiation, as soon as we have definitely return to the students of the School of Medicine and clarify everything.
FC response: The Rules state that women and persons with children under the age of three years are exempted from work obligation, but as per usual practice, the mothers of the children are exempted, and they mainly sit to care for a child, receive benefits for this or take a maternity leave. We are talking about one parent here, as we understand the Rules.
FC response: Yes, of course. You submit to the Commission for Placement of the University a request from the employer that he guarantees that you secured the workplace until September 1. Therefore, of course, you can choose the university where you will work, or a scientific organization yourself. I would like to emphasize for the PhD that, according to the law “On Science”, Article 8 states that a scientific organization is a legal entity, the main activity of which is scientific activity, scientific and technical, scientific and innovative activities. Therefore, when you find a job, take a petition from employers before placement, you will need to familiarize yourself with the Charter of the organization and that the Charter states that this is a legal entity and the main activity is scientific activity. And then we accept these organizations.
FC response: We, as the Financial Center, monitor only the state educational grant. If a specialist has been working for three years, then let him work, we have nothing to do with Bolashak.
If they entered to university the same year, then the specialist is exempted from work obligation and then this is the relationship between the specialist and Bolashak.
If they entered to university the same year, then the specialist is exempted from work obligation and then this is the relationship between the specialist and Bolashak.
NU response:
Estimated placement is planned to early June. Accordingly, we are waiting for all supporting documents from our students until May 25.
Estimated placement is planned to early June. Accordingly, we are waiting for all supporting documents from our students until May 25.
FC response: Yes, you can work at several jobs and combine them. We don't even look at the payment. A young specialist can work for 0.5 wages, 0.25 wages, can combine several jobs and can show us one job, where there will be permanent pension contributions.
NU response:
In fact, you have the Conditions for the contract, which we have published and were published at the time of your admission to “Egemen Kazakhstan” and on our website. The same Terms are an integral part of the Agreement that you signed, you signed each page of this agreement, where these Terms are also mentioned. These Terms stipulate that all parties must comply with the requirements of the law, in this case the Law on Education. Therefore, as a citizen of Kazakhstan who studied under a state grant, you must and we urge you to follow the rules of the law.
In fact, you have the Conditions for the contract, which we have published and were published at the time of your admission to “Egemen Kazakhstan” and on our website. The same Terms are an integral part of the Agreement that you signed, you signed each page of this agreement, where these Terms are also mentioned. These Terms stipulate that all parties must comply with the requirements of the law, in this case the Law on Education. Therefore, as a citizen of Kazakhstan who studied under a state grant, you must and we urge you to follow the rules of the law.
FC response: A university commission is created for a year, so if the commission meets in early September, then work obligation will begin in September.
FC response: Of course, we first of all focus on your choice. If you find a company where you will be employed before May 25 and bring a certificate from this company, then, accordingly, you will be referred to this company.
FC response: Yes, you can choose another city. If a student submits a petition from an organization located in another city, he will be referred to this organization.
FC response: If you open an IE and it is registered and pay taxes and pensions are paid through an individual entrepreneur, and not through your full name, then we accept it as working off. And if you send pension as self-employed, such work is not accepted.
FC response: In case of failure to fulfill the obligation to work off, after we make sure that the young specialist has not arrived at the place of placement, does not work, then we send a notification according to the official place of registration of the young specialist. We take data on official registration from the Individuals` National Database (INDB) - this is the state database of individuals that we have. The notification is sent by hybrid mail, by Kazpost. In this notice, we prescribe that young professionals must provide us with a certificate if we do not have such information that there are delays in pension contributions, and the main source for monitoring the Financial Center is pension deductions. And we see that he does not have pension deductions, we send this notice, give a ten-day period for the young specialist to provide us with a certificate of employment, and the second question in this notice is that the young specialist can reimburse the amount of expenses spent on education . We grant the right that he quickly finds a job, we give some time - 10 days or 2 weeks, sometimes they call us and ask for an extension if they do not have time, or they independently reimburse the expenses. If the young specialist has not taken any action, then we prepare materials for the legal department of the Financial Center and in the future, the legal department sends a statement of claim for the recovery of the amount of education costs from the young specialist and forcibly, by court decision, the amount of expenses collected.
FC response: By decision of the court, a writ of execution is issued, private bailiffs are involved in the debt collection, and it will be possible to make direct monthly payments.
In the event that a young specialist wants to reimburse tuition expenses on his own, then monthly payments will not work, here we are not talking about a loan that was issued by the state, but here is the amount allocated from the republican budget and which must be reimbursed in a single payment to the republican budget.
In the event that a young specialist wants to reimburse tuition expenses on his own, then monthly payments will not work, here we are not talking about a loan that was issued by the state, but here is the amount allocated from the republican budget and which must be reimbursed in a single payment to the republican budget.
FC response: If a young specialist has provided a certificate or a petition from the employer that he will arrive on September 1 and will work there, but due to some circumstances beyond his control the place is occupied or something else, he must inform the university if this is the first year of working for the university to help and notify us that he is now unemployed, but register on his own at the employment center as a job seeker, provides us with this certificate, we register it in our database and it counts this time as working off. And he, in addition to the fact that the employment center can provide him with work, must independently find a job.
FC response: There applies work obligation after a master's degree. Because the bachelor's degree is over and the master's degree is in process. If a master's degree is in the medical field, then you have to work in healthcare organizations.
Some alumni work as a nurse or doctor in schools, kindergartens - we also accept such work if it is written in the employment orders that they are hired as a nurse or doctor.
Some alumni work as a nurse or doctor in schools, kindergartens - we also accept such work if it is written in the employment orders that they are hired as a nurse or doctor.
FC response: No, you can work part-time and combine. The main thing is to send us supporting documents, where you will officially work and deduct pension. In the future, you can work at several jobs and also deduct pension.
FC response: If you worked for one year and then entered further education, in this case we will require working off.
It is impossible to study and return to work for the remaining two years. You must first work or pay for the unworked period accordingly.
There is also home work in Kazakhstan - you can work and study remotely if your employer is in Kazakhstan.
It is impossible to study and return to work for the remaining two years. You must first work or pay for the unworked period accordingly.
There is also home work in Kazakhstan - you can work and study remotely if your employer is in Kazakhstan.
FC response: If you have your own LLP, it officially works, LLP is registered, then we will accept it as work, there are no problems.
We do not monitor the specialty. We monitor the specialty of those who studied in the medical and pedagogical specialties. And for those who study in other specialties, this is business, economics, finance, law, etc. - you can work in any organizations and in any specialties - we accept working off. The main thing is that you have official employment, employment contracts. You simply provide us with certificates if there are no monthly pension contributions, if, for example, it is customary for you to make tax deductions every six months, if you are worried, you can provide a quarterly certificate stating that you work there.
If this is an international company registered on the territory of Kazakhstan, then there are no questions at all. We do not accept jobs only in companies registered abroad.
Startups are organizations that are just developing, that have just started and it happens that they carry out activities on a voluntary basis.
If you already have a company with pension deductions, with the conclusion of contracts, then we also accept.
We do not monitor the specialty. We monitor the specialty of those who studied in the medical and pedagogical specialties. And for those who study in other specialties, this is business, economics, finance, law, etc. - you can work in any organizations and in any specialties - we accept working off. The main thing is that you have official employment, employment contracts. You simply provide us with certificates if there are no monthly pension contributions, if, for example, it is customary for you to make tax deductions every six months, if you are worried, you can provide a quarterly certificate stating that you work there.
If this is an international company registered on the territory of Kazakhstan, then there are no questions at all. We do not accept jobs only in companies registered abroad.
Startups are organizations that are just developing, that have just started and it happens that they carry out activities on a voluntary basis.
If you already have a company with pension deductions, with the conclusion of contracts, then we also accept.
NU response:
Our law is only about the autonomous organization of education. And there is a main law. The main laws of the country are higher, they prevail. Therefore, we must obey the main law. Our graduates do not have a special status. You are studying on a state grant, we are funded from the republican budget - please take this into account. There are no exceptions here.
Our law is only about the autonomous organization of education. And there is a main law. The main laws of the country are higher, they prevail. Therefore, we must obey the main law. Our graduates do not have a special status. You are studying on a state grant, we are funded from the republican budget - please take this into account. There are no exceptions here.
FC response: Yes, after graduation.
If the official guardianship is confirmed, the Commission will accept it.
If the official guardianship is confirmed, the Commission will accept it.
FC response: If you do not find a job, the Placement Commission will refer you to an employment center. In the future, if you find a job, then send supporting documents to the Financial Center.
FC response: It is necessary to clarify at the employment center - they have their own deadlines for registration, they mainly send them to youth practice.
If you are removed from the list of unemployed, you can reapply and register again within three years.
If you are removed from the list of unemployed, you can reapply and register again within three years.
FC response: The specialty of public health is medical, because the placement is carried out by the Republican Commission of the Ministry of Health, the Commission of the university has no right to place such specialists.
Our Contacts:
Nazarbayev University / Career and Advising Center
53 Kabanbay Batyr, ave.
Block C2, office 2043
Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan, 010000
53 Kabanbay Batyr, ave.
Block C2, office 2043
Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan, 010000