Gender Aspects of External Labor Migration of the Economically Active Population of Kazakhstan

ABSTRACT External labor migration plays an increasingly visible role in shaping labor markets, household arrangements, and demographic patterns in Kazakhstan. Yet, the gendered structure of this process remains insufficiently examined. This study investigates how external labor migration is experienced differently by men and women within Kazakhstan's economically active population, with particular attention to motivations, labor conditions, and household‐level effects. The research adopts a mixed‐methods design, combining a quantitative survey of 200 respondents with qualitative interviews and focus groups involving family members of migrants, alongside analysis of national statistics and policy documents. The findings indicate a persistent gender gap in migration experience: Men report higher rates of prior migration than women, whereas women are less likely to express future migration intentions. Gender differences are also observed in migration motivations and risk exposure. Women more frequently cite caregiving‐related considerations and report higher levels of workplace discrimination and harassment, particularly in informal employment settings. Cluster analysis identifies three migration profiles—Aspirational Youth, Breadwinner Males, and remittance‐reliant families—highlighting the heterogeneity of migration strategies and outcomes. Rather than a uniform process, migration emerges as a gendered and socially embedded practice, shaped by labor market segmentation and household norms. The study demonstrates that gender‐neutral migration frameworks obscure unequal risks and responsibilities. By providing gender‐disaggregated empirical evidence, the paper contributes to debates on gender, work, and organization and offers insights relevant for developing more responsive and equitable migration policies in Kazakhstan and comparable contexts.