Medical Examinations for Employees: Changes from October 3, 2026 - FCHAIN

Medical Examinations for Employees: Changes from October 3, 2026

Starting October 3, 2026, Kazakhstan will introduce changes to the rules governing mandatory medical examinations for employees, as well as the procedure for determining whether occupational diseases are related to the performance of employment duties. The changes affect the frequency of medical examinations, certain categories of employees, referral procedures to occupational pathology organizations, medical contraindications, and requirements for documenting examination results. Employers whose employees are subject to mandatory medical examinations should pay particular attention to the established deadlines and referral procedures.

 

Frequency of Mandatory Medical Examinations

The frequency of medical examinations for each target group will be determined by Appendix 1 to the Rules for Conducting Mandatory Medical Examinations. Employees engaged in heavy work or work involving harmful and/or hazardous working conditions will be required to undergo a medical examination once a year. The specialists involved and the required scope of examinations will depend on the relevant harmful occupational factors, profession, and type of work performed. Specific examination intervals are established for certain categories of employees. In particular, employees working in public catering establishments, cream confectionery production facilities, and children’s dairy kitchens will be required to undergo fluorography every 12 months, while testing for certain infections will be required every six months. The list of target groups will also include individuals carrying out state control and supervision involving visits to inspected facilities. They will be required to undergo fluorography once every 12 months. Junior staff of medical organizations who come into contact with biological materials and healthcare professionals whose work does not involve invasive procedures will be classified as separate groups. The scope and frequency of examinations for intestinal infections, parasitic diseases, viral hepatitis, and HIV infection will be determined by the sanitary rules of the Ministry of Healthcare.

 

Medical Examination by an Occupational Pathology Organization

For certain employees, an additional periodic medical examination will be required once every five years at an organization providing specialized medical care in occupational pathology and expert assessment. This requirement applies to employees with pronounced forms of general diseases and signs of exposure to harmful occupational factors who have worked continuously under harmful and/or hazardous conditions for at least eight years. Employees showing signs of occupational diseases will also be referred for an assessment of their professional fitness. An additional ground for referral will be disagreement by the employee, employer, or insurance company with the conclusion of the medical commission.

 

Employer Actions in Case of a Suspected Occupational Disease

From October 3, the grounds for referring an employee to an occupational pathology organization will change. While the employer’s actions were previously associated with an identified occupational disease, a suspected chronic occupational disease, meaning the establishment of a preliminary diagnosis, will also become a basis for referral. Based on the final medical examination report, the employer must refer the employee for an assessment of whether the disease is related to their work no later than three business days from the date of receipt of the sanitary and epidemiological assessment of working conditions. Cases of acute and chronic occupational diseases and poisoning, including suspected cases, will be investigated in accordance with the established rules governing sanitary and epidemiological well-being.

 

Guarantees for Pre-Shift Medical Examinations

Employees who are required to undergo pre-shift medical examinations under legislation, an agreement, or a collective bargaining agreement will retain the guarantees provided under Article 125 of the Labour Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan for employees referred for medical examinations. The relevant provision will be included in a note to the list of professions requiring pre-shift medical examinations.

 

Form 075/u Medical Certificate for Employment

The preliminary mandatory medical examination is provided as a public service. The required documents are accepted by a medical organization, while the employee receives the result through the Digital Government portal. The service results in the issuance of a Form 075/u medical certificate or a reasoned refusal. The certificate is issued exclusively in electronic format: the medical organization enters it into the digital healthcare system, after which the document is signed using the physician’s electronic digital signature. When applying through the portal, the service must be provided within no more than 30 minutes from the time the document is submitted. The service is provided for a fee. It is available free of charge to children under the age of 18 at their registered healthcare facility when enrolling in an educational institution or starting employment. The service may be refused if the submitted documents or information are inaccurate, if the applicant or submitted materials do not meet the established requirements, or if consent to access restricted personal data has not been provided.

 

New Medical Contraindications for Certain Types of Work

The list of medical contraindications will also be revised. In particular, employees with grade 2 or 3 arterial hypertension associated with high or very high risk, as well as those with blood pressure above 150/90 mmHg regardless of medication-based correction, will not be permitted to work under harmful and/or hazardous working conditions. The requirements for medical examinations will also be updated for employees exposed to certain harmful occupational factors, including boron, arsenic, lead, benzene, methyl alcohol, and acrylonitrile, as well as those exposed to local vibration. Separate requirements are established for employees who manually lift and move loads. Employees with at least five years of experience in such work will be required to undergo electromyography, electroneuromyography, and an X-ray examination of the lumbar spine. Specific contraindications related to arterial hypertension and blood pressure levels will also apply to this type of work.

 

Documentation of Occupational Disease Assessment Results

The conclusion of the expert occupational pathology commission will be prepared in both paper and electronic formats and permanently retained in the patient’s medical records at the occupational health clinic. Information may be submitted electronically through the Digital Government portal, e-Otinish, or specialized digital systems of the sanitary and epidemiological service. If the notification date falls on a weekend or public holiday, it will be moved to the next business day. Accordingly, from October 3, 2026, employers should take into account the updated requirements for mandatory medical examinations, including examination intervals for the relevant categories of employees, referral deadlines in cases of suspected occupational disease, and new medical contraindications for certain types of work.

 

Comprehensive Support for Employment and HR Processes

FChain Kazakhstan provides professional HR and legal services for employers, including support with employment relations and reviews of HR processes. In light of the changes to mandatory medical examination requirements, companies may also review their internal HR procedures and documentation related to employment matters.

• HR Services — support with HR processes and maintenance of HR documentation throughout the employment relationship.
• HR Audit — review of HR documentation and existing HR processes to identify matters that may require adjustment.
• Legal Services — professional legal support on matters arising in the course of an employer’s business activities.
• Legal Support for Business — legal assistance with ongoing business matters and employment-related issues.
• Legal Audit — review of internal documents and legal processes for compliance with applicable requirements.
• Drafting Contracts — preparation and legal review of contractual documentation tailored to the company’s activities and business needs.
• Employer of Record — support with employment and HR administration under the Employer of Record model.

Comprehensive HR and legal support enables employers to respond to changing requirements in a timely manner and maintain their internal processes in line with applicable regulations. FChain Kazakhstan supports companies with HR administration and employment-related matters, helping establish appropriate processes and documentation tailored to the specific needs of their business.

 

Medicine Prices in Kazakhstan: Changes in Regulation

Prepared by: Anel Kosmaganbetova

Assistant to the Director

FChain Kazakhstan

 📩almaty@f-chain.com
WhatsApp: +7 771 214 1820