Date of publication:

01/09/2026

Kyrgyzstan

Do domestic laws and policies provide for forcibly displaced and stateless persons to engage in self-employment?

ANALYSIS

Assessment by population

Refugees
Asylum-seekers
Stateless persons
Analysis

In accordance with the domestic legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic, refugees have the right to engage in entrepreneurial activity, including self-employment.

According to Article 26 of the Tax Code of the Kyrgyz Republic dated January 18, 2022 № 3, an individual entrepreneur is an individual who carries out entrepreneurial activity without forming an organization, and the Code does not establish restrictions on such activities by foreign citizens, including persons recognized as refugees.

In addition, Article 13 of the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic "On Refugees" dated March 25, 2002 № 44 expressly provides that refugees have the right to engage in entrepreneurial activity on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic in the manner prescribed by law.

According to Article 24 of the Tax Code of the Kyrgyz Republic, a resident individual is any individual who is in the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic for 183 or more days during any 12-month period, or is in the public service of the Kyrgyz Republic abroad. Refugees who are in the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic for more than the specified period may also be recognized as resident individuals, which gives them the same tax rights and obligations as other residents.

In addition, Article 413 of the Tax Code of the Kyrgyz Republic allows for the payment of certain taxes by acquiring a patent, which is one of the possible forms of self-employment. Acquiring a patent is possible if the taxpayer has tax or accounting registration with the tax authority.

Thus, the tax legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Law "On Refugees" allow refugees to engage in self-employment and entrepreneurial activity on an equal basis with other individuals, and if they stay in the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic for more than 183 days, they can be recognized as residents and enjoy the corresponding rights.

The Law on Refugees states that asylum seekers are not entitled to engage in entrepreneurial activities. This obliges such persons to obtain a permit to engage in entrepreneurial activity. However, the Refugee Law does not explicitly prohibit entrepreneurship. Therefore, it can be assumed that some asylum seekers may engage in business activities in accordance with laws or treaties. Thus, for example, citizens of the EAEU countries can work or engage in entrepreneurial activities without obtaining additional documents. 
Stateless persons recognized as such on the territory of Kyrgyzstan are exempted from obtaining a permit for entrepreneurial activity.

    LAW & POLICY

    Related provisions of domestic law or policy

    The Law on External Labor Migration

    Legal provision

    Article 3 - Scope of application of this Law

    This Law shall apply to government bodies, business entities regardless of their form of ownership, including persons registered in the Kyrgyz Republic as individual entrepreneurs and carrying out business activities without forming a legal entity, engaged in activities related to sending citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic to work abroad, attracting and using foreign labor in the Kyrgyz Republic (hereinafter referred to as business entities), as well as migrant workers and members of their families. This Law shall not apply to foreign citizens and stateless persons: a) who have received refugee status or political asylum in the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic; b) permanently residing in the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic

    Article 6 - Procedure for the implementation of labor activity by foreign citizens and stateless persons on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic

    Foreign citizens and stateless persons enjoy the right to freely dispose of their labor abilities, choose the type of activity and profession if they have the appropriate document on professional education or work experience with supporting documents, as well as the right to freely use their abilities and property for entrepreneurial and other economic activities not prohibited by law. A foreign citizen or stateless person temporarily staying for the purpose of carrying out labor activities in the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic is issued a work permit by the authorized state body in the field of migration in the manner determined by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, subject to the employer depositing funds (guarantee contribution) into an account specially opened by the authorized state body in the field of migration, necessary to ensure the departure of a foreign worker by the appropriate type of transport from the Kyrgyz Republic. The procedure for the employer to deposit funds necessary to ensure the departure of foreign workers from the Kyrgyz Republic, and the procedure for returning such funds to the employer are established by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic. A state fee is charged for issuing a work permit. Border migrant workers carry out labor activities on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic in the manner established by Article 14 of this Law.

    The Law of the Kyrgyz Republic on Refugees

    Legal provision

    Article 13 - Rights and obligations of a refugee in the Kyrgyz Republic

    A person recognized as a refugee in the Kyrgyz Republic enjoys the same rights and bears the same obligations as foreign citizens permanently residing in the Kyrgyz Republic. A person recognized as a refugee in the Kyrgyz Republic shall also be granted the rights and obligations of a person applying for refugee status, as stipulated by Article 6 of this Law. A person recognized as a refugee in the Kyrgyz Republic and his family members shall have the right to: - reside for three months in a temporary settlement; - choose a settlement from among those proposed by the Authorized Body in which his relatives reside as their place of permanent residence, subject to their consent to cohabitation; - work for hire or engage in entrepreneurial activity in accordance with the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic; - acquire real estate under the conditions established for foreign citizens and stateless persons by the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic; - receive, with the assistance of the relevant state bodies of the Kyrgyz Republic, information about property left behind in the state of previous residence; - have the necessary documents proving his identity and travel documents; - to receive medical care on an equal basis with citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic; - to receive administrative assistance when applying to state bodies of the Kyrgyz Republic; - to mandatory registration of civil status acts and receipt of relevant documents.