Kyrgyzstan Transfers Unemployment Payment Procedures Authority to Labor Agency

The Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers has officially transferred the authority to define the procedures for unemployment benefit payments to the State Agency for Labor and Employment. This significant shift in administrative power aims to streamline the process of providing support to the unemployed.

This delegation of authority is an amendment to a March 3, 2023, cabinet resolution concerning the transfer of certain norm-setting powers to state and local government bodies. Under the revised regulations, the State Agency for Labor and Employment will now have the autonomy to independently establish the order in which active and passive employment assistance measures are implemented, along with the associated financial disbursements.

Active employment measures typically encompass programs designed to help individuals find jobs and reintegrate into the labor market. Passive measures, on the other hand, involve providing financial support to citizens during periods when they are out of work. It is important to note that this change does not introduce new benefit levels or create entirely new types of unemployment assistance; rather, it centralizes the authority for approving the procedures for their distribution.

The changes are implemented in accordance with the Law "On Employment Promotion of the Population." The relevant resolution, numbered 546, was adopted on August 14, 2026, and is set to come into effect ten days later. This move is expected to lead to a more standardized and efficient system for managing unemployment support in Kyrgyzstan.