Some migration aspects, trends and issues in the North and Central Asia: case of Kazakhstan

Abstract

Migration and mobility in the post-Soviet space are part of the global process for more than a quarter
of a century. Possessing almost all the main characteristics of the global process, migrations in this
space have their own characteristics and specifics that require special attention and understanding. To
analyze the mobility of this space, the definitions and approaches that determine the potential systems
and subsystems that cover this process are important. Kazakhstan is one of the states in this space for
which migration issues and demographic development are a strategic direction, including within the
framework of the Eurasian Economic Union. An important issue remains the choice of the approach that
defines the given space not only geographically, but also geo-economically, and geo-politically. One of
the effective in this approach can be the use of the UN definition of “North and Central Asia”, covering
the main participants of the migration process. The main purpose of this article is a review of some of
the main national and regional aspects of the migration processes in the Republic of Kazakhstan at the
present stage. Since the beginning of the 21st century, Kazakhstan has positioned itself as a host country
for migrants, being simultaneously a major transit corridor. Recently there has been a tendency of an active
outflow of the population, which is a definite challenge that requires due attention and evaluation.
The methodological basis of the study is a systematic approach that allows a comprehensive assessment
of migration processes, as well as the theory of “pull-push factors.” This study may be important in the
context of the analysis of common Central Asian processes of cooperation and integration, and from the
point of view of developing a theoretical component of the migration processes.
Key words: International Relations, Migration, Kazakhstan, Labor Migration, Eurasian Economic
Union.