85 enterprises in Kazakhstan accumulated wage arrears of T814 million
As of June 1, 2025, state labor inspectors at 85 enterprises have identified wage arrears to more than 2 thousand employees in the amount of T814 million, reports the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Kazakhstan. “During the inspections carried out in various organizations, about 2.4 thousand violations of labor rights […]
Read moreUkrainian refugee labour market access shows no impact on local employment outcomes in Czechia
Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine sparked Europe’s largest refugee crisis since WWII. Unlike past waves of migrants, Ukrainian refugees gained immediate labour market access through the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive, offering a unique policy test. This column finds that the resulting labour force increase had no economically meaningful impact on employment, unemployment, or inactivity rates […]
Read moreUnemployment below 4% and average salary above 3,500 GEL by 2028 are the programmatic goals
As Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said during a government meeting, elimination of poverty once and for all and economic growth are key national goals. The programmatic goal is to reduce unemployment below 4% and to raise the average salary above 3,500 GEL by 2028.
As Kobakhidze said, continuation of Georgia’s economic development is very important, as the country is a leader not only in the broader region but also across Europe in terms of economic growth.
The Prime Minister reported that the economic growth in April was 7.5%. Meanwhile, the average growth for the first four months was 8.8%, what makes Georgia one of the frontrunners in terms of economic growth, both regionally and Europe-wide. So, the goal is to maintain this pace of development.
The increase of the number of employed persons in Georgia between 2022 and 2024, over a span of three years, was 185,000, and the growth of the average salary was 917 GEL. Undoubtedly, a broad segment of the population feels the country’s economic growth, and it is necessary to keep moving forward at this pace. Economic growth is the key factor to eliminating poverty which is one of the primary national goals. To achieve that, it needs to ensure continued rapid economic development.
The targets of the government are very clear: the programmatic goal is to bring unemployment below 4% and to raise the average salary above 3,500 GEL by 2028. Fully accepting the responsibility, they expect to achieve them at the current pace.
Meanwhile, GeoStat published new data concerning poverty for 2024. They reported the poverty rate at 11.8% in 2023. In 2024, it decreased by 2.4 percentage points and achieved a single-digit figure of 9.4% for the first time since the 1990s. Kobakhidze reminded that in 2012, when Georgian Dream came into power, more than 1.1 million people in Georgia were living below the poverty line. Today that figure has decreased below 350,000.
Recognizing the evidence of the progress, the Prime Minister highlights that the government’s ultimate goal is to eliminate poverty entirely in Georgia. They are moving rapidly in that direction, having an absolutely realistic specific programmatic goal in this area — poverty reduction below 4% by 2028. Irakli Kobakhidze promised that at this pace, it is possible to eradicate poverty in Georgia in the medium term.
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Read moreVučić: Pension increase possibly before December, Kragujevac factory needs workers
“I will try to have pensions increased a month or two before December,” Vučić said. When asked by journalists how that would be possible since the current law does not allow for it, Vučić responded, “We will change the law.” He could not specify the percentage by which pensions would be raised, especially while a […]
Read moreBusiness sector turnover amounted to 56.0 billion GEL in Q1, gambling segment accounted for largest share
In the I quarter of 2025, compared to the same quarter of the previous year, the volume of business sector turnover increased by 14.5 percent and amounted to 56.0 billion GEL. The increase was observed in the production value of the business sector as well. In the I quarter of 2025, production value equaled 20.7 […]
Read more3.1% of employed in Georgia earn more than 9,600 GEL – PMCG
In April 2025, the number of persons receiving a monthly salary of 9 600 GEL and more increased and stood at 3.1% that is 0.7% more compared with the corresponding period of 2024, and 1.2% more than in the corresponding period of 2023, as per PMCG employment tracker. The document states that in April 2025, […]
Read moreBy 2028, the programmatic goal is to bring unemployment below 4% and raise the average salary above 3,500 GEL- PM
One of our key national goals is to eliminate poverty once and for all, and of course, economic growth is crucial for achieving this — by 2028, the programmatic goal is to reduce unemployment below 4% and raise the average salary above 3,500 GEL,” said Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze during a government meeting. According to […]
Read moreAverage working and leisure hours in Kazakhstan
Analysis made by Finprom.kz investigates average working hours across different employment sectors in Kazakhstan and typical leisure activities.
There were 9.3 million registered employed citizens (a 1.3% increase compared to the same period last year) in Kazakhstan, as of the first quarter of 2025. Nearly 7.7 million people work standard hours ranging from 36 to 40 per week (a 7.5% year-on-year increase).
On the contrary, there were fewer people working overtime (a 4.9% decrease).
An average working week in Kazakhstan is now 39 working hours (one hour more, compared to last year). For men the average number is 40 hours weekly, for women it is about 38. Working overtime is more frequent among employees (on average 41 hour per week, compared to 36 hours for the self-employed).
The longest working week, averaging 43 hours, is in mining sector. Wholesale and retail trade, transport, logistics, and administrative services report average 42 hours. The working week in manufacturing, water supply and waste management, construction, and hospitality is about 41 hours.
The shortest working week (33 hours on average) is in agriculture, forestry, and fishing. People work around 39 hours in finance, insurance, and education.
An average of 42 hours per week makes industrial, construction, and transport workers, as well as operators and drivers top the list of occupational groups. Then follow trade and service sector employees with 41 hours. After them come farmers, fishermen, and unskilled laborers with average 36 hours, while managers, civil servants, and technical staff work around 40 hours. Specialists work 39 hours a week on average.
The number of Kazakhstanis who work less than a standard week (approximately 332,800) decreased by half compared to the previous year due to lack of work (122,800 people), reduced hours (56,700), sufficient income (34,200), employer decisions (31,500), and flexible schedules (18,300).
Official 2024 statistics reports that the average Kazakhstani spends most of their weekday attending to personal needs such as sleep, hygiene, and meals, totaling 12 hours and 6 minutes on workdays and 13 hours and 57 minutes on weekends.
The largest share is taken up by sleep: 8 hours and 48 minutes on weekdays and more than 10 hours on weekends. Around 1 hour and 49 minutes during the week and 2 hours and 5 minutes on days off are accounted for meals and drinks and approximately 1 hour and 21 minutes on weekdays and 1 hour and 33 minutes on weekends for hygiene and self-care.
Work takes the second place in terms of daily time use, averaging 5 hours and 16 minutes on weekdays and just 36 minutes on weekends.
Third place belongs to leisure activities (cultural events, sports, reading, and media consumption)— 2 hours and 40 minutes on weekdays and nearly 4 hours on weekends.
Household responsibilities also take considerable time from Kazakhstan is, especially on weekends (about 3 hours and 32 minutes on unpaid domestic work and family care).
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Read moreDefense, production jobs boom in Ukraine, hospitality and realty slump
Ukraine’s job market saw a 4.3-fold surge in defense sector vacancies and a 74% drop in demand for pharmacists from April 2024 to April 2025, with growth in manufacturing and logistics but declines in hospitality and real estate, OLX Work told NV Business on May 29. The defense sector led with a 330% increase in […]
Read moreEgypt, Serbia discuss digital connection plan to facilitate labor mobility
Minister of Labor Mohamed Gibran and Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dačić discussed Friday 30/5/2025 how to activate cooperation mechanisms to facilitate labor mobility and open up new markets for Egyptian workers in the Serbian market. During a meeting between the two ministers today, the two sides hailed the strategic partnership between Egypt and Serbia, which […]
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