Large sum of approximately 437 billion tenge distributed to children
Kazakhstan has introduced comprehensive childbirth and childcare benefits as part of its state and social insurance programs, providing financial support and protection to families with young children. The benefits, which include paid maternity leave, optional unpaid childcare leave, one-time birth-related payments, monthly childcare allowances, and tax exemptions, aim to ensure broad coverage and financial security for parents during the critical period of childbirth and early childcare.
Maternity leave in Kazakhstan is granted for 126 calendar days in total, with 70 days before childbirth and 56 days after. In cases of complicated births or multiple children, the postnatal leave portion can extend to 70 days. Additionally, parents are entitled to take up to three years of unpaid childcare leave, which can be used by either parent or a close relative if the parents are absent.
Monetary benefits are a significant part of the childbirth and childcare support system in Kazakhstan. A one-time state benefit is provided for the birth of a child, and a one-time social payment is offered for loss of income due to pregnancy and childbirth or adoption of a newborn. Monthly social allowances are available for childcare after the child reaches one year of age. Working women participating in the compulsory social insurance system are eligible for these social benefits.
From July 1, 2025, infant care benefits, childcare benefits, and foster parent childcare benefits are exempt from personal income tax. This exemption is applied automatically by the Treasury during payment processes, requiring no additional tax declarations by recipients. The tax exemption applies to benefits disbursed after June 30, 2025.
The family allowance related to pension contributions can be applied only to childcare benefits (but not infant care benefits or foster parent childcare benefits) and requires a specific tax advance declaration.
From the beginning of 2025, a total of 116,100 people have received these benefits, amounting to 166.9 billion tenge. The sizes of state benefits have been indexed by 6.5%. In June 2025, 19,400 people received this benefit, totaling 22 billion tenge.
Citizens of Kazakhstan, stateless persons, and foreigners are eligible for the childbirth allowance if they have given birth to, adopted, or taken under guardianship children. The social loss-of-income benefit for childcare is paid to a participant of the social security system until the child reaches 1.5 years old. The amount of the childcare benefit is 40% of the average monthly income from which social contributions were paid to the State Social Insurance Fund over the past two years.
In June 2022, 24.2 thousand people received the childbirth allowance, totaling 4.3 billion tenge. The social loss-of-income benefit for maternity and childbirth leave is a one-time payment from the Social Security Fund.
As of the beginning of 2025, a total of 369,1 thousand people have received benefits and payments from the State Social Insurance Fund for childbirth and childcare until the child reaches 1.5 years. In the first six months of 2025, this benefit was paid to 129,200 people, totaling 218.5 billion tenge. The sizes of state benefits for childbirth and childcare are determined based on the monthly calculation indicator approved by the law on the republican budget for the corresponding financial year.
- The comprehensive childbirth and childcare benefits in Kazakhstan's social insurance programs also include benefits for fitness-and-exercise and health-and-wellness, as part of family-health, to encourage parents to maintain their personal health during the critical period of childbirth and early childcare.
- To supplement their income during this period, parents can seek advice from wealth-management and personal-finance advisors, to ensure they make informed decisions about their financial future, while focusing on their family's well-being.
- As the concern for children's education grows, some parents might consider starting a savings plan for their child's education, thus enabling a secure financial foundation for their future.
- With the exemption of personal income tax on infant care benefits, childcare benefits, and foster parent childcare benefits from July 1, 2025, families can save a significant amount of money, which can be planned towards their family's long-term savings and wealth-management strategies.
