Overview

Doing Business in Kazakhstan 2019 is the second subnational Doing Business study for Kazakhstan. The study measures business regulations affecting four stages in the life of a small to mid-size domestic firm—starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity and registering property—across 16 locations in Kazakhstan—Akmola (Kokshetau), Aktobe, Atyrau, Almaty (Taldykorgan), East Kazakhstan (Oskemen), Karagandy, Kostanay, Kyzylorda, Mangystau (Aktau), North Kazakhstan (Petropavl), Pavlodar, West Kazakhstan (Oral), Zhambyl (Taraz), and the cities of Almaty, Nur-Sultan and Shymkent.

Where is it easiest to do business in Kazakhstan?

Main Findings

• On aggregate, across the four regulatory areas measured, the city of Almaty has the most business-friendly regulation and Zhambyl (Taraz) the least. Almaty city still ranks highest on three indicator sets, just as it did in Doing Business in Kazakhstan 2017: dealing with construction permits, getting electricity and registering property. East Kazakhstan (Oskemen) and Pavlodar share the top ranking on registering property.
• All eight locations benchmarked in Doing Business in Kazakhstan 2017 improved their business environment, with the city of Nur-Sultan advancing the most.
• Lower-performing regions in Kazakhstan are improving in three of the four indicators measured—and the gap between these lower-performing regions and the best performers was reduced by more than half for getting electricity and dealing with construction permits.
• Twenty-four reforms making it easier to do business have been recorded across the eight locations since 2016, including several reforms initiated by the central government and implemented locally.
• Good practices can be found across Kazakhstan in the areas of regulation measured. Reform-minded policy makers can make tangible improvements by replicating measures already successfully implemented within the country.