Working longer with age: Strengthening the labour market outcomes of older workers in Kazakhstan

Older workers in Kazakhstan are often an untapped resource and their potential value is not fully utilised in the labour market. Many older people are inactive compared to OECD countries very few continue working beyond retirement age, and when they do it is often in the informal sector of the economy. This chapter analyses the reasons for older workers’ underrepresentation in the labour market, looking at four main issues: i) the demographic challenge and its impact on the employment prospects of older workers ii) the policies that are needed to strengthen the “employability” of older workers iii) the demand-side barriers to the hiring and retention of older workers and iv) the policies that can make work rewarding for older workers, notably the design of the old-age pension system, as well as official and de facto early retirement schemes.