Legal regulation of repatriation in the Republic of Kazakhstan: theory and practice

This article examines the legal regulation of the Kazakhs return to their historic homeland. It is concluded that the main cause of immigration policy is the demographic situation. The problems arising from the adaptation of repatriates in the host community. Proved that the resettlement of ethnic Kazakhs from abroad to the Republic of Kazakhstanis a complex process. This process requires a balanced approach. It must take into account the financial and economic capabilities and interests of the republic, as well as international law. system of migration laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan is investigated. It is proved that the qualitative improvement of the legal framework is necessity for the successful implementation of the repatriation program.

Since independence, one of the most difficult issues was the problem of returning compatriots, at different times for one reason or another left their homeland. one reason for the state’s interest in this issue is to improve the demographic situation in the country.

the main direction of state policy on migration in Kazakhstan – is the repatriation of ethnic Kazakhs from  the  Cis,  baltic  and  other  foreign  countries. implementation of migration policy in the process of the Committee on Migration of the Ministry of internal affairs of the republic of Kazakhstan.

the   repatriation   of   Kazakhs   in   Kazakhstan is  multifaceted  and  difficult  one,  has  its  historical roots   and   consequences   of   requiring   enhanced learning.  in  the  public  literature  in  recent  years expressed  different  views  regarding  the  positive and negative aspects of the general repatriation of Chinese Kazakhs in Kazakhstan.

in   our   opinion,   the   repatriation   of   ethnic Kazakhs,  a  positive  phenomenon  for  our  country. the Kazakhs are an integral part of a single Kazakh ethnic group, and most of them have a high level of national consciences. experience shows that many foreign Kazakhs, especially those living in China, Mongolia,  Uzbekistan,  have  extensive  experience in   agriculture.   accordingly   repatriated   Kazakhs will great help in the development of agriculture in Kazakhstan,  with  their  many  years  of  experience in this area and under similar climatic conditions. one can not fail to take into account the mentality of   Kazakhs.   Kazakh   Foreign   kept   the   Kazakh language, which is important for the development of the Kazakh language in Kazakhstan.

however,   the   adaptation   of   repatriates   in Kazakhstan society constrained by negative factors. there are lack of knowledge of russian language, lack  of  skills,  lack  of  education,  ignorance  of  the law, psychology, mentality and culture of the local population.

the resettlement of ethnic Kazakhs from abroad to  the  republic  of  Kazakhstan  –  is  a  complex process that requires a balanced approach taking into account  the  financial  and  economic  opportunities and interests of the republic, as well as international law.   in   this   regard,   it   is   extremely   important improvement  of  the  internal  legal  framework  for the   successful   implementation   of   the   program admission and resettlement of displaced persons on the basis of their rights and legitimate interests in accordance with the Constitution of the republic of Kazakhstan.

Persons  Kazakhs  coming  from  Cis  countries are  best  suited  as  a  category  of  persons  in  the economically  and  culturally.  in  addition,  in  the framework  of  the  Cis  signed  several  documents related  to  various  social  problems  (pensions,  the organization   of   education,   employment,   etc.). acquisition and loss of citizenship is also facilitated. legal basis for legal regulation of repatriation were laid out in the Declaration of state sovereignty on  october  25,  1990,  the  Constitutional  act  of independence   of   December   16,   1991,   the   first Constitution of sovereign Kazakhstan dated January 28,  1993,  the  current  Constitution  of  the  rK  on august 30, 1995.

of particular importance is the Declaration. it was proclaimed the following: the supreme soviet of  the  Kazakh  soviet  socialist  republic,  expressing the will of the people of Kazakhstan, seeking to create decent and equal living conditions for all citizens of the republic, considering the paramount task of consolidating and strengthening the friendship of the peoples living in the republic, recognizing the Universal Declaration of human rights and the right of nations to self-determination, aware of the responsibility for the fate of the Kazakh nation, based on the determination to create a humane and democratic state of law, proclaims the sovereignty of the Kazakh soviet socialist republic and adopts the present Declaration [1].

in the constitutional law on December 16, 1991 in art. 7 is fixed: «the republic of Kazakhstan has its  own  citizenship.  For  all  Kazakhs  were  forced to leave the territory of the republic and living in other states, recognizes the right of a citizen of the republic of Kazakhstan, along with the citizenship of other states, unless it contradicts the laws of the state of which they are. the republic of Kazakhstan  regulate  migration  processes.  the  republic of  Kazakhstan  creates conditions for  the return to its territory of persons forced to leave the territory of the republic periods of mass repression, forced collectivization,  as  a  result  of  other  hostile  political actions, and their descendants, as well as for the Kazakhs living in the territory of former soviet republics» [2].

the  Constitution  of  1993  and  1995  are  fixed, such inalienable human rights and freedoms as the right of free movement within the territory of Kazakhstan and the free choice of residence, the right to leave the republic and its citizens – the right to freely return to the republic.

the   first   piece   of   legislation   that   directly regulates the legal status of migrants was the law of rK «on immigration» on June 26, 1992, which at  that  time  was  the  legal  basis  of  regulation  and institutional  trust  –  ensure  resettlement  of  ethnic Kazakhs in the republic, creating the necessary conditions of life in the new place for the refugees, for individuals and families, – possibility of rotating to their homeland [3].

the  purpose  of  this  law  was  to  organize  the resettlement  of  Kazakhs  from  abroad,  which  was planned to establish a special department of immigration, as well as the formation of the National immigration Fund. it also established annual immigration quota.

For   the   regulation   of   migration   processes in  Kazakhstan  in  the  1990s  made  the  following regulations: the law of the republic of Kazakhstan «on   Citizenship»   on   December   20,   1991,   [4] Presidential Decree «on the legal status of Foreign Citizens in the republic of Kazakhstan» dated June 19, 1995, [5] President of the republic of Kazakhstan «on the procedure for granting political asylum to foreign citizens and stateless persons in the republic of Kazakhstan «dated July 15, 1996,[6] President of the republic of Kazakhstan» on the procedure for dealing with the citizenship of the republic of Kazakhstan «dated september 27, 1996, [7] etc.

Following   the   adoption   of   the   law   «on Migration» from December 13, 1997 for each ethnic Kazakhs granted the status of oralman. the Kazakh government  has  set  up  the  Migration  Department under the Ministry of labour and social Welfare, which  is  the  consequence  was  converted  to  the agency  for  Migration  and  demographic  policy. since 1995, the state budget was introduced a special item of expenditure for repatriation activities.

In   1998   a   new   phase   of    state-regulation repatriation relations in the republic of Kazakhstan. the   basis   for   the   further   development   of   the country’s laws, including immigration, has become the  country’s  Presidential  address  to  the  People of  Kazakhstan  «Kazakhstan  –  2030:  Prosperity, security and the welfare of all of Kazakhstan.» in this letter emphasized that the rank of top national security priority should be put forward by a strong demographic and migration policies [8].

In December 1997, the law of rK «on migration». the purpose of the law is to regulate social relations in the field of migration, the definition of legal, economic and social foundations of migration processes, as well as creating the necessary conditions of life in a new place for individuals and families  returning  to  their  homeland  [9].  Was  significantly expanded conceptual framework, introduced new articles, greatly extending the provisions of the law «on immigration» from 1992.

From a theoretical point of view the change of the notion «repatriation» in the act. so, as amended on December 13, 1997 in art. 1 shows the concept of  repatriation  as  the  repatriation  of  prisoners  of war, displaced persons, refugees, immigrants, repatriates. but in the edition of January 12 2007 repatriated been treated as voluntary or involuntary return of citizens of the rK to their homeland.

On the basis of this law Kazakh  immigrants first received the official status of the immigrant thus,   the   immigrant   (oralman) and  categories  of  persons  of  native  nationality, are  victims  of  political  repressions,  as  well  as their  descendants.  as  amended  by  the  law  «on Migration»   on   December   20,   2002   oralmans referred not only to victims of political repressions, and  foreigners  and  stateless  persons  of  Kazakh nationality, residing at the time of acquisition of the sovereignty of the republic of Kazakhstan abroad and arrived in Kazakhstan for permanent residence. september  5,  2000  approved  the  Concept  of Migration  Policy  of  the  republic  of  Kazakhstan according to which should be provided full support for  resettlement  and  local  reception  of  repatriates and  their  adaptation  to  local  accommodation.  it should create conditions for successful adaptation of repatriates in the local social environment, to carry out  activities  for  the  psychological  rehabilitation of  people  surviving  in  armed  conflict.  all  of  the above at the disposal has been identified as the most binding  of  migration  policy  priorities  to  address repatriates in Kazakhstan [10, p.40].

in 2005, statement to the third World Kurultai of Kazakhs in astana, President Nursultan Nazarbayev said that among the countries of the Commonwealth of independent states, Kazakhstan – the only state that systematically deals with the repatriation of the scattered overseas compatriots around the world and highlights for this solid budget, and throughout the planetary community, it is – one of three [11].

the Message of the President of the republic of Kazakhstan to the people of Kazakhstan on March 1,  2006  «strategy  of  Kazakhstan’s  50  most  competitive countries in the world». Kazakhstan on the threshold of a new leap forward in its development, the need to develop the modern concept of migration policy has been put forward as the main priorities of Kazakhstan’s progress in the most competitive  and  dynamically  developing  countries  of  the world. With respect to adaptation activities repatriates stated: «our focus should be more on the creation of conditions for surface preparation in special centers, and integration of repatriates in our society. if you train them in the profession, language, as is customary in other countries, they quickly become accustomed to new conditions» [12].

in accordance with the objectives put forth in the Presidential address to the people of Kazakhstan in 2006, and the action Plan for 2006-2008. industry to implement the Programme of the migration policy of the republic of Kazakhstan for 2001-2010. was developed concept of the migration policy of the  republic  of  Kazakhstan  for  2007-2015.  [13], which  identified  promising  areas  of  ethnic  migration policy over the medium term.

the concept is aimed at improving the quality of existing and development of new mechanisms for the management of migration processes in Kazakhstan. the purpose of the Concept defined mitigate the adverse effects of migration flows in the preservation and development of national identity and security  by  minimizing  the  formation  of  selective and illegal migration.

the  conceptual  novelty  in  the  management  of migration  processes  in  the  present  period  can  be called  designated  in  the  document  the  need  for  a selective migration policy.

in  accordance  with  the  action  Plan  for  20082010. to implement the concept of migration policy of the republic of Kazakhstan for 2007-2015. envisaged the development of adaptation and integration of immigrants in Kazakh society, the development of a rational mechanism for settlement of immigrants in the interests of the demographic and socio-economic development of regions, the regional labor market, on a regular basis for monitoring and evaluation of migration and other activities [14].

in  2009  launched  the  program  «Nurly  Kosh», designed   in   2009-2011   [15].   it   involves   an increase in quotas for the reception. acceptance of repatriates and internal migration in addition to the program «Nurly Kosh» regulate the following valid documents:  territorial  Development  strategy  of Kazakhstan till 2015 [16], the state Programme for rural Development of the republic of Kazakhstan for 2004-2010 [17].

Finally, in 2011 in the republic of Kazakhstan adopted a new law «on Migration» [18]. the new law provides for differentiated allowances depending  on  the  region  settling  repatriates,  additional factors are set to the base rate. in particular, in the northern regions of the country repatriates will receive benefits 2.4 times higher than in the south.

ethnic   Kazakhs   themselves   have   entered   the territory of the republic of Kazakhstan and staying on the territory of our country, file an application for inclusion in the immigration quota for repatriates in the management of migration police of the territorial Department  of  the  interior.  a  resident  outside  the republic  of  Kazakhstan  with  the  proposed  place of  residence  in  Kazakhstan  –  in  missions  abroad. overseas after receiving the Commission’s consent to the inclusion in the quota, will assist in the resettlement of ethnic Kazakhs. however, foreign institutions MFa has not provided for this full-time employees.

Under  the  new  law  oralmans  included  in  the immigration quota, can receive lump sum payments and  money  for  housing  only  after  admission  to the   citizenship   of   the   republic   of   Kazakhstan on  presentation  of  identity  documents,  including adult   family   members,   except   members   of   the family non-ethnic Kazakhs. and in case of failure included  in  the  immigration  quota  for  repatriates from the acquisition of citizenship of the republic of Kazakhstan and the lump sum funds for housing are not accrued and (or) not paid.

this is a legal norm, according to lawmakers, will    eliminate    the    receipt    of    benefits    and compensation for false documents. as recognized in the immigration service before 2011, such facts were not uncommon. according to the Migration Police Committee of the rK Ministry of interior, in 2010 in almaty, atyrau, Pavlodar and south Kazakhstan regions revealed 64 facts on the allocation of grants worth  more  than  42  million  Kzt  to  persons  who do not even enter the country or received benefits twice in different regions. For similar facts in the past three years, 10 criminal cases [19].

Under the new act, oralmans benefits will be paid  only  for  the  established  place  of  residence and,  if  traveling  abroad  or  from  the  republic  of Kazakhstan – should be returned to the budget.

these measures will help reduce tension in areas experiencing a surplus of labor. earlier, before the adoption of this law, place of residence arriving  compatriots  were  determined  solely  by  their desire, making it difficult to state regulation. as a consequence, up to 60% of the repatriates were concentrated in four areas – almaty, zhambyl, south Kazakhstan  and  National  Unity,  which  is  already experiencing considerable demographic pressure.

thus,  the  act  aimed  at  all  the  Kazakhs,  regardless  of  the  status  oralman  who  arrived  in  the republic  of  Kazakhstan  for  permanent  residence in  the  historic  homeland.  among  those  who  have taken over the years of independence of Kazakhstan citizenship of the republic of Kazakhstan, 98% are repatriates.

legal  scholars,  practitioners,  and  the  migrants themselves are unanimous in their opinion that the development of relevant sub-legal acts. thus, to date, the Committee of Migration Police are developed and approval procedure of the Government of the draft decisions on the approval of the immigration quota for 2012-2014 repatriates, the rules included in the immigration quota for repatriates, rules of payment of  lump  sum  benefits,  differentiated  according  to regions and settlements including costs for primary adaptation,  travel  to  their  homes  and  possessions, and the allocation of funds for housing or receiving preferential    credit    loan    for    the    construction, rehabilitation or acquisition of housing.

the analysis shows that the evolution of legislation in the area of repatriation is based on the priorities of migration policy at the present stage of development of Kazakhstan’s statehood, as well as to address the problem areas that arise in the course of legal practice, further optimization of the legislation in the field of migration and improve the content migration process.

References 

1. Kazakhskaya ssr. Deklaratsiya o gosudarstvennom suverenitete Kazakhskoĭ sovet·skoĭ sotsialisticheskoĭ respubliki 25 oktyabrya 1990 g. // Pravovoĭ spravochnik «zakonodatelʹstvo». – almaty: yurist, 2005.
2. respublika o gosudarstvennoĭ nezavisimosti respubliki Kazakhstan. Konstitutsionnyĭ zakon ot 16 dekabrya 1991 goda // Pravovoĭ spravochnik «zakonodatelʹstvo». – almaty: yurist, 2005.
3. respublika zakon №1437 ot 26 iyunya 1992 g. ob immigratsii // Pravovoĭ spravochnik «zakonodatelʹstvo». – almaty: yurist, 2007.
4. respublika zakon №1017-Xii ot 20 dekabrya 1991 goda. o grazhdanstve respubliki Kazakhstan // Pravovoĭ spravochnik «zakonodatelʹstvo». – almaty: yurist, 2005.
5. Prezident respubliki o pravovom polozhenii inostrannykh grazhdan: Ukaz №2337 ot 19 iyunya 1995 goda. // Pravovoĭ spravochnik «zakonodatelʹstvo». – almaty: yurist, 2005.
6. Prezident respubliki Kazakhsta o poryadke predostavleniya politicheskogo ubezhishcha inostrannym grazhdanam i litsam bez grazhdanstva v respublike Kazakhstan: Ukaz №3057 ot 15 iyulya 1996 goda // Pravovoĭ spravochnik «zakonodatelʹstvo». – almaty: yurist, 2005.
7. Prezident respubliki Kazakhsta ob utverzhdenii Pravil rassmotreniya voprosov, svyazannykh s grazhdanstvom respubliki Kazakhstan: Ukaz №3120 ot 27 sentyabrya 1996 g. // Pravovoĭ spravochnik «zakonodatelʹstvo». – almaty: yurist, 2005.
8. Nazarbaev a. Kazakhstan – 2030: Protsvetanie, bezopasnostʹ i uluchshenie blagosostoyaniya vsekh kazakhstantsev: Poslanie Prezidenta strany narodu Kazakhstana. – almaty, 2002. – 96 s.
9. respublika zakon ot 13.12.1997. № 204-1. o migratsii naseleniya // Migratsiya. sbornik normativno-pravovykh aktov respubliki Kazakhstan. – almaty: yurist, 2007. – 128 s.
10. Pravitelʹstvo respubliki Kontseptsiya migratsionnoĭ politiki respubliki Kazakhstan: Postanovlenie ot 5 sentyabrya 2000 g. // Kazakhstanskaya pravda. – 2000. – 10 sentyabrya.
11. Nazarbaev a. vystuplenie Prezidenta respubliki Kazakhstan na iii vsemirnom kurultae kazakhov. astana, 29 sentyabrya 2005 goda // Pravovoĭ spravochnik «zakonodatelʹstvo». – almaty: yurist, 2007.
12. Nazarbaev a. strategiya vkhozhdeniya Kazakhstana v chislo 50 naibolyee konkurentosposobnykh stran mira. Kazakhstan na poroge novogo ryvka vpered v svoem razvitii. – Kazakhstanskaya pravda. – 1 marta 2006 g.
13. Kontseptsiya migratsionnoĭ politiki respubliki Kazakhstan na 2007-2015 // Ukaz Prezidenta respubliki Kazakhstan ot 28 avgusta 2007 goda № 399.
14. Plan meropriyatiĭ  na  2008–2010    po  ryealizatsii  Kontseptsii  migratsionnoĭ  politiki  respubliki  Kazakhstan  na  2007– 2015 gg.
15. Programma «Nurly kosh» utverzhdena postanovleniem Pravitelʹstva respubliki Kazakhstan ot 2 dekabrya 2008 goda №1126.
16. strategiya territorialʹnogo razvitiya respubliki Kazakhstan do 2015 goda, utverzhdennaya Ukazom Prezidenta respubliki Kazakhstan ot 28 avgusta 2006 goda № 167.
17. Gosudarstvennaya programma razvitiya selʹskikh territoriĭ respubliki Kazakhstan na 2004–2010 gody, utverzhdennaya Ukazom Prezidenta respubliki Kazakhstan ot 10 iyulya 2003 goda № 1149.
18. respublika zakon №№ 477-iv zrK ot 22 iyulya 2011 goda o migratsii naseleniya // informatsionnaya sistema «Paragraf». – almaty: yurist,  2012.
19. v almaty obsudili novyĭ zakon o migratsii i problemy ryealizatsii programmy «Nurly kosh» // kz . – 7 sentyabrya 2011.