Maternity Leave for Individual Entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan: How to Calculate Benefits in 2025

When a pregnancy reaches the 30th week (or 28th in case of multiple pregnancies), a woman goes on maternity leave. To provide financial support, she is entitled to several types of payments — a one-time state allowance, a social benefit for income loss, and a child care allowance paid over 1.5 years. But do these benefits apply if the woman is self-employed as an individual entrepreneur (IE)? What benefits are available to pregnant IEs in Kazakhstan? How much money is paid at childbirth?  

Prenatal and Postnatal Payments in Kazakhstan in 2025

All women who give birth (including individual entrepreneurs) receive a one-time state allowance. The amount is fixed and paid once. In 2025, it equals 38 MCI (Monthly Calculation Index), which is 149,416 tenge. If a woman gives birth to her fourth child, the amount increases to 63 MCI — 247,716 tenge.

These state payments are granted to all women. If the woman was employed (including as an IE), she is additionally entitled to a social benefit for income loss and a child care allowance for a child under 1.5 years. Let’s take a closer look at these payments.

Maternity Benefit

When a woman goes on maternity leave in Kazakhstan, she cannot continue working, meaning she loses income. To compensate, the state provides a one-time payment. Essentially, the woman receives the amount she would have earned at work over 126 days — the standard duration of maternity leave: 70 days before and 56 after childbirth. This may be extended to 140 days in case of complications or multiple births.

Only women who have made social contributions during their professional activity — including SO (Social Contributions), OPV, OPVR, VOSMS — are eligible for this state benefit.

How Maternity Payments Are Calculated in Kazakhstan in 2025

The formula is:
Average income × coefficient based on number of leave days

Details on calculating average income:

• If an IE made contributions for all 12 months and earned 300,000 tenge, this full amount is used.
• If contributions were made only for 8 months, the average is:
  300,000 × 8 ÷ 12 = 200,000 tenge

To determine the days coefficient:

• For 126 days: 126 ÷ 30 = 4.2
• For 140 days: 140 ÷ 30 = 4.7

Example:
Average income = 300,000 tenge, coefficient = 4.2
300,000 × 4.2 = 1,260,000 tenge
After deducting 10% for pension fund contributions: 1,134,000 tenge

This benefit also applies to women who adopt a child.

If the woman’s income exceeds 300,000 tenge, the cap is set at 7 MCI — 595,000 tenge in 2025.
For standard leave:
595,000 × 4.2 – 10% = 2,249,100 tenge
This is the maximum state maternity benefit.

To simplify the process, you can use an online calculator that performs these calculations automatically.

Child Care Allowance up to 1.5 Years

This maternity-related benefit differs from the one-time payment — it is paid monthly until the child turns 1.5 years old.

How is it calculated? Based on 40% of the woman’s average monthly income over the past two years — provided she has made social contributions.

Example:
Average monthly income = 300,000 tenge
300,000 × 40% = 120,000
Minus 10% pension contribution = 108,000 tenge monthly

As shown, 10% must also be deducted from this monthly allowance.

Where and How to Get a Maternity Sick Leave

The maternity sick leave certificate is issued at the woman’s local clinic where her pregnancy is monitored. Women usually register at the clinic during pregnancy.

The doctor issues the certificate starting from the 30th week (or 27th in areas affected by nuclear testing). It is valid for 126 or 140 days depending on the childbirth prognosis.

If an IE goes on maternity leave, there are two options:

• If the business continues to operate — taxes must be paid on time.
• If the woman suspends her activity — her IE status must be paused officially.

Where to Apply for Benefits

Applications are submitted through the e-government portal Egov.kz. The woman must fill out the required fields and attach the maternity sick leave certificate.

To receive the monthly child care allowance, the same process applies, but the child’s birth certificate must be attached.

Document processing takes 7–8 business days.
Funds are deposited to an account at Kazpost or Halyk Bank.

Important notes:

• Applications for the one-time maternity benefit and income-loss payment should be submitted as soon as the sick leave is received. The deadline is within 12 months from the issue date.
• Applications for the monthly child care benefit should be submitted after the child is born — also within 12 months.

Both the one-time and monthly payments offer essential financial support. To receive them, ensure your documents are submitted on time and completed correctly.