Skilled trades are highly valued in Kazakhstan. Discover who earns what in these professions and the current salary landscape.

As is known, the year 2025 has been declared by the head of state as the Year of Working Professions. The government has also approved a national plan for the implementation of the Year of Working Professions.

Given the high demand for skilled specialists in Kazakhstan, the editorial team at inbusiness.kz conducted a labor market review to determine the salaries of representatives in working professions.

Job vacancies offer competitive salaries, particularly for skilled professionals such as locksmiths and welders. Salaries range from approximately 250,000 to over 800,000 tenge per month, depending on qualifications and experience.

Most job openings require a vocational education and a certain work experience, typically ranging from one to three years. For some positions, such as a locksmith apprentice or a lathe operator, experience is not mandatory, allowing young specialists to start their careers.

The job vacancies are available with various work schedules—both standard (5/2) and rotational (6/1). Rotational work methods may include additional bonuses and compensations, making them attractive to many workers.

Employers offer various social packages, including paid leave, transportation compensation, flight reimbursements, and housing provisions. This creates additional incentives to attract workers to this field. Many of our compatriots prefer the rotational method. Specifically, Russian and other foreign employers value and entice Kazakh specialists with high salaries, appealing social packages, and other "perks." In this regard, domestic enterprises are at a disadvantage, resulting in a shortage of experienced qualified personnel in the market.

Let's take a closer look at several current job openings published on popular job search websites.

A vacancy for a locksmith repairing technological installations at a private enterprise in Kazakhstan offers a salary ranging from 683,300 to 746,400 tenge. Candidates must have a technical or vocational education and a work experience of at least three years. The working conditions imply full-time employment, but the work schedule is not specified.

For entry-level specialists in Almaty, there are vacancies for locksmith apprentices with salaries ranging from 250,000 to 400,000 tenge. No work experience is required, making this position attractive for youth and those just starting their careers. Working conditions include full-time employment, internship, and a standard work schedule of 5/2 with an eight-hour working day.

An electric gas welder in Karaganda can expect a salary ranging from 600,000 to 700,000 tenge before taxes. This position requires work experience of one to three years. Working conditions include full-time employment with schedules of 6/1 or 5/2, also with an eight-hour working day.

Additionally, one can work as an electric gas welder on a rotational basis. This vacancy offers a salary ranging from 550,000 to 800,000 tenge. Candidates must have experience from one to three years. Working conditions involve a rotational method with a schedule of 6/1, where working hours can be 10 or 12 hours. Workers receive payments twice a month and have the opportunity to earn additional bonuses and allowances.

A lathe-miller at the Almaty Heavy Machinery Plant is offered a salary ranging from 250,000 to 407,000 tenge with work experience of one to three years. Working conditions include full-time employment with a 5/2 schedule and an eight-hour working day. The social package also includes free lunches, which is an additional benefit for employees.

A crane operator in a limited liability company can expect a salary ranging from 450,000 to 600,000 tenge with work experience of three to six years. Working conditions: full-time employment with a 6/1 schedule and monthly payments.

A truck crane operator is offered a salary of 622,000 rubles (approximately 3.5 million tenge) for a rotation of 90 shifts. Work experience must be between three and six years. Working conditions include a 90-shift rotation with a 6/1 work schedule, as well as transportation compensation and housing provisions in a dormitory. The stated payment is made for three months, meaning the monthly earnings exceed 1 million tenge.

If a hardworking high-level specialist works independently and offers private services, their earnings can reach several million tenge per month.

Kairat Bazarbaev worked as a hired crane operator for a long time. Years of working with one entrepreneur and good working relationships were rewarded when his employer, moving permanently to Germany, gifted him a crane. Kairat took the opportunity—he opened a sole proprietorship and placed advertisements. Construction was in full swing in Astana, so good crane operators were always in high demand. For one hour of work on the crane, the man charges 10,000 tenge. In a day for 10 hours, he earns 100,000 tenge. His total monthly income amounts to about 2.5 million tenge.

Today, the man is in the process of purchasing a second crane, for which he has been saving money, and is looking to hire a good specialist.

"My love for work helps me in life. The way our parents raised us, we live without rest. In my free time, on weekends, I drive a taxi; I can't sit idle. My wife does not work; she takes care of the children—driving them to school, extracurricular activities, and tutors. I believe that a woman should not work—she has enough worries. Thanks to her, I have a reliable support system. Everything I earn, she spends wisely: on the children's development and on the home. I keep very little for myself; I saved up for the second crane," – the hardworking man laughs.

The labor market for working professions offers a variety of opportunities for specialists with different levels of qualifications and work experience. High salaries and various working conditions make these vacancies attractive to job seekers.

As we can see, the field of technical professions in Kazakhstan demonstrates a stable demand for qualified workers with competitive working conditions and salaries. This creates opportunities for career growth and professional development for valuable specialists.