Kazakhstan: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Kazakhstan's asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum fell 156 on 2024 (from 319 to 163).

Across the 24 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2024), the average change was +13.08 and a typical year strayed about 156.01 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 535 in 2022 and the biggest yearly fall was 364 in 2023. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 15% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Kazakhstan had the 130th highest value of the 166 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Kazakhstan in the 2025 ranking

• Montenegro — 127th of 166: 175
• Guinea — 128th of 166: 172
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 129th of 166: 164
• Lithuania — 131st of 166: 156
• Qatar — 132nd of 166: 153
• Sint Maarten (Dutch part) — 133rd of 166: 141

What this measures

Asylum-seekers are individuals who have sought international protection and whose claims for refugee status have not yet been determined. This includes those who are in various stages of the asylum process, such as initial application, appeal, or awaiting final decision. In specific contexts, asylum-seekers may also include those who are seeking protection under complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection, but whose claims are still under consideration.

Limitations: Variability in national asylum procedures and processing times can lead to inconsistencies in data reporting, affecting the accuracy of cross-country comparisons. Unregistered asylum claims or informal border crossings may result in incomplete data, underestimating the true scope of the need for protection. Additionally, the changing status of individuals, such as those asylum-seekers that are recognized as refugees, complicates the tracking and categorization of data.

All 26 values

Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in nearby economies

• Albania — 11 (2025)
• Armenia — 998 (2025)
• Austria — 22,014 (2025)
• Azerbaijan — 199 (2025)
• Belarus — 1,470 (2025)
• Belgium — 58,725 (2025)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 164 (2025)
• Bulgaria — 1,317 (2025)
• Croatia — 434 (2025)
• Cyprus

More social protection & labor data for Kazakhstan

• Net migration — -8,834 (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 41.94% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 47.59% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 44.83% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 73.35% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 80.7% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 76.98% (2025)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Kazakhstan's asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum?

163 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2000?

It is up 3,160% from 5 in 2000 (14.96% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 840 in 2022 and the lowest 0 in 2002.

How does Kazakhstan rank?

130th highest of 166 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum unusual for Kazakhstan?

In 2025, Kazakhstan's asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum fell 156 on 2024 (from 319 to 163). Across the 24 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2024), the average change was +13.08 and a typical year strayed about 156.01 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SM.POP.ASYS.EA, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), uri: https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/download Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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