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Full procedure Hire a foreign cook

A cook from abroad for a café or canteen that is already registered and has its sanitary certificate.

Foreign workers are hired within the quotas set for 2025–2027. Allocations are made each quarter. The employer needs the extract from the Register of Firms and the café's sanitary certificate (see Open a café).

Apply for an allocation from the quota

Allocation by the Foreign Labour Quota Section, Ministry of Economy; applications in the first working week of each quarter.

  1. 1. Submit the application in the quarter's first week
    Where: Foreign Labour Quota Section
    The employer must show that no resident of the ISEZ answered a notice of the vacancy published in the Talas Herald and read on Radio Irad for three weeks. Cooks of Iradi plov are not allocated a quota.
    Bring: Extract from the Register of Firms, Photocopy of the registration certificate, certified by the Register of Firms (6 copies), Sanitary certificate for a food business
    Cost: IS 300 per worker
    Time: 120–480 min in the queue, 15–25 min at the counter, 30–90 days until the next step
  2. 2. Collect the allocation from the foreign labour quota
    Where: Foreign Labour Quota Section
    You receive: Allocation from the foreign labour quota
    Time: 30–120 min in the queue, 5–10 min at the counter, 1–3 days until the next step

Have the diploma translated and notarised

Translation by a sworn translator at the State Notary Office No. 1.

  1. 3. Order and notarise the translation
    Where: State Notary Office No. 1
    Bring: ID card or passport of the applicant
    You receive: Notarised Iradi translation of the worker's diploma
    Cost: IS 165 per worker
    Time: 40–150 min in the queue, 15–20 min at the counter, 3–7 days until the next step

Obtain the medical certificate of a foreign worker

Medical commission at the city polyclinic, including a chest X-ray.

  1. 4. Pass the medical commission
    Where: City polyclinic (medical commissions)
    Bring: ID card or passport of the applicant, Two photographs, 3.5 × 4.5 cm
    You receive: Medical certificate of a foreign worker
    Cost: IS 220 per worker
    Time: 60–240 min in the queue, 90–180 min at the counter, 5–10 days until the next step

Sign the employment contract

Contract in Iradi and in the worker's language, with the Iradi text prevailing.

  1. 5. Sign the contract and have the translation certified
    Where: State Notary Office No. 1
    Bring: ID card or passport of the applicant, Notarised Iradi translation of the worker's diploma
    You receive: Employment contract in Iradi and the worker's language
    Cost: IS 90 per worker
    Time: 40–150 min in the queue, 20–30 min at the counter, 0–1 days until the next step

Obtain the work permit

Permit of the Passport and Residence Service, Ministry of Internal Security.

  1. 6. Pay the fee at Talasbank
    Where: Talasbank (any branch)
    Cost: IS 450 per worker
    Time: 20–60 min in the queue, 5–10 min at the counter, 0–1 days until the next step
  2. 7. Apply with the quota allocation
    Where: Passport and Residence Service
    The employment contract is signed before the permit is issued and enters into force on the day it is issued.
    Bring: Allocation from the foreign labour quota, Notarised Iradi translation of the worker's diploma, Medical certificate of a foreign worker, Employment contract in Iradi and the worker's language, Two photographs, 3.5 × 4.5 cm
    You receive: Work permit
    Time: 60–300 min in the queue, 15–25 min at the counter, 20–30 days until the next step

Register the worker's residence

Registration with the Passport and Residence Service within three days of the permit.

  1. 8. Register at the passport office
    Where: Passport and Residence Service
    A residence card can be requested after ten years of residence.
    Bring: Work permit, Lease or ownership certificate of the premises, ID card or passport of the applicant
    You receive: Residence registration of the foreign worker
    Cost: IS 40 per worker
    Time: 60–300 min in the queue, 10–15 min at the counter, 0–1 days until the next step

Laws and documents

  • Executive Directive 2024/11 On quotas for foreign workers, 2025–2027 (paragraphs 2, 4, 7)
  • Regulation 2010/3 Residence Regulation 2010 (articles 6, 11, 14; articles 8, 9)

Institutions

  • Foreign Labour Quota Section, Talas, Government House annex, room 15. Applications: first working week of each quarter only
  • State Notary Office No. 1, Talas, Liberty Boulevard 9, basement; sworn translators' list on the door. Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:00, lunch 12:30–13:30
  • City polyclinic (medical commissions), City polyclinic No. 1 of each city; district hospitals outside the cities. Medical commission: Monday to Friday, 8:00–11:00
  • Talasbank (any branch), Any of the 28 branches; foreign currency operations at the head office, Central Square, Talas. Monday to Friday, 9:00–16:00; Saturday 9:00–12:00
  • Passport and Residence Service, City passport offices (Talas, Nurzhan, Iyık Janyl) and the district offices. Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:00, lunch 12:30–13:30

Updated 2026-10-23. Developed with the support of the UNMI trade facilitation programme.