When changing employer, do not rely solely on the expiry date of an existing temporary residence permit (RVP). For an EAEU worker, temporary stay is linked to the contract. Compare the termination date of the previous contract, the new contract, ESUTD employment records and residence formalities on the new basis. The 15-day rule does not mean an automatic RVP extension.
This guide is for a citizen of Russia or another EAEU state who is lawfully in Kazakhstan, holds employment-based RVP and is moving to another employer. It concerns an employment contract, not independent business activity. Non-EAEU citizens and other residence grounds require a separate assessment.
Checked on 12 September 2026 against the EAEU Treaty, Kazakhstan’s stay and RVP issuance rules, and ESUTD rules. The sequence below is KLC’s recommendation; it does not replace a migration authority’s decision on specific documents.
First check whether the 15 days apply
Article 97(9) of the EAEU Treaty gives a member-state worker the right to conclude a new employment or civil-law contract within 15 days without leaving if the previous contract was terminated early after 90 days had elapsed since entry into the state of employment.
Every condition matters. Ordinary expiry of a contract must not automatically be equated with early termination. A situation before 90 days have elapsed is also not described by this paragraph. This is a right to conclude a new contract, not a promise to issue RVP or permission to leave all formalities unattended for 15 days.
Paragraph 5 of the same article links the worker’s and family members’ temporary stay to the contract’s term. A saved RVP file with a later expiry date therefore does not, by itself, answer what to do after employment ends. Before leaving the job, or promptly if it has already ended, clarify the applicable formalities and lawful stay period with the migration authority.
Source: EAEU Treaty, Article 97, paragraphs 5 and 9.
Collect four dates and supporting records
| What to collect | Where to check | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Entry date and travel history | Passport and border-crossing records | Whether the 90-day condition is met and the stay situation |
| Date and grounds for ending the previous contract | Contract and termination document | Whether termination was early and which event the transition follows |
| Signature date and term of the new contract | A copy signed by both parties | Whether there is confirmed new employment, not merely an offer |
| RVP details and passport validity | Issued permit and current passport | Which details and limits must be considered for the new formalities |
Example: a worker has been in Kazakhstan for more than 90 days and their one-year contract is terminated early. A new employer offers a start date a week later, but the contract has not been signed. A job promise is not conclusion of a new contract under Article 97. Before moving, coordinate signing and residence formalities rather than simply counting 15 days from a verbally agreed last working day.
If family members live with the worker, submit their documents for assessment too: Article 97(5) also concerns family members. Do not assume that a change to the worker’s basis cannot affect their situation.
Separate the old and new employers’ duties
Under paragraph 12 of the ESUTD rules, the former employer enters employment-termination information no later than three working days after termination. Under paragraph 7, the new employer enters information on a newly concluded contract no later than five working days after both parties sign it.
These are different deadlines and different actions. They are not added to the EAEU Treaty’s 15 days and create no additional permitted stay. Ask both HR teams to check dates, IIN, employer details and record status. If there is an error, arrange correction; a message saying “the contract was sent” alone is insufficient to check that the details match.
RVP issuance rules provide for checking ESUTD information against employer details, including conclusion of a contract with the worker. For employment-based applications, the list includes an employment contract registered in ESUTD. Coordinate the RVP application and entry of the new employment information accordingly.
Sources: ESUTD rules, paragraphs 7 and 12; RVP issuance rules, paragraph 10 and Appendix 2, row 10.
Check the residence documents, not just the contract
For assessment of the new formalities, prepare the current RVP, passport, old and new contracts, employment-termination document and information on registration of the new contract. This is a working set for reviewing the situation, not an exhaustive application list.
The RVP document list separately provides for an application form, identity document, medical insurance registered in Saqtandyry, a conditional requirement for notarised consent to residence, and a fingerprinting certificate. Consent is required if the service recipient does not own the accommodation provided. Check the necessary documents and how to present them for your situation and application channel. The full initial route is explained in the employment-contract RVP guide.
Under paragraph 10 of the stay rules, RVP for those exempt from the relevant work permits is issued for one year with annual renewal possible, but not beyond the contract; its duration is also limited by the passport. Do not transfer the remaining period of an old permit to the new job without checking the formalities.
The RVP state service is free; the standard processing time is one working day. For applications through the State Corporation, the day of receipt is excluded. This is not the duration of the whole employer change: contract preparation, entry of information, insurance and notarial actions require separate planning and may have separate costs.
Sources: RVP issuance rules, paragraph 7 and Appendix 2; stay rules, paragraph 10.
If your stay period is already uncertain
Do not assume that a backdated new contract, a short trip out or another arrival notification automatically resolves a violation. Collect the actual dates and documents and contact the migration authority to check lawful stay and the next procedure. Do not postpone contact until the final date on the old RVP.
Paragraph 5 of the RVP issuance rules contains provisions for submission after permitted stay ends and after a decision imposing administrative liability under certain conditions. This is not permission to deliberately miss a deadline or a guarantee of issuance without liability. If an overstay has already occurred, it and the new employment basis need to be assessed together, without concealing earlier dates.
Source: RVP issuance rules, paragraph 5.
Next step
Provide the four dates from the table, citizenship, employment documents, RVP, passport and family information for review. Clarify who submits the documents, when the new contract will be entered in ESUTD and which result will confirm residence formalities have been completed.
Check your basis and get a personal RVP document list. The questionnaire provides an initial list; the personal set and employer-change procedure are clarified during individual review. Assistance is described on the Visas and residence permits page.