According to paragraph 1 of Article 9 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Mediation" No. 401-IV, adopted on January 28, 2011, a mediator may be an independent and impartial individual with no vested interest in the outcome of the dispute, selected by mutual agreement of the parties, listed in the register of mediators, and having consented to carry out the duties of a mediator. The mediator should be chosen by the parties to the conflict through mutual consent.

Professional and voluntary mediators 

Pursuant to the applicable legislation, mediators may conduct their activities on both a professional and a voluntary basis.

The activity of a mediator does not constitute entrepreneurial activity. Mediators may also engage in any other activity that is not prohibited by the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan. At the same time, professional mediators shall be included in the Register of Professional Mediators maintained by a mediators’ organization, while voluntary mediators shall be included in the Register of Voluntary Mediators maintained by the local executive body.

A professional mediator is a specially trained and certified specialist who provides dispute resolution services on a paid and formal basis, whereas a voluntary mediator performs conciliatory functions on a voluntary basis, generally without remuneration and without a mandatory professional status.

Pursuant to the Rules for the Election of a Voluntary Mediator, approved by Order No. 134 of the Minister of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan as of May 3, 2022, voluntary mediators shall be elected at least once per quarter by a meeting (assembly) of the local community of a city of regional significance, a district within a city, a city of district significance, a settlement, a village, or a rural district.

Pursuant to paragraph 3 of Article 9 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Mediation”, the following persons may carry out the activities of a mediator on a voluntary basis:

1. persons who have reached the age of forty and are included in the Register of Voluntary Mediators;
2. judges when conducting conciliatory procedures in court in accordance with the Civil Procedure Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Administrative Procedural Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Pursuant to paragraph 4 of Article 9 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Mediation,” the following persons may carry out the activities of a mediator on a professional basis:

1. persons who have a higher education, have reached the age of twenty-five, hold a document (certificate) confirming completion of training under a mediator preparation program approved in the manner determined by the authorized body in the field of mediation, and are included in the Register of Professional Mediators;
2. retired judges who are included in the Register of Retired Judges engaged in professional mediation activities.

Pursuant to paragraph 7 of Article 9 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Mediation,” a person shall not be eligible to act as a mediator if:

1. Authorized to perform state functions or an equivalent;
2. Recognized by a court in accordance with the law as legally incapacitated or partially incapacitated;
3. There is a criminal prosecution being carried out against him/her;
4. There is an unexpunged or uncleared criminal record in accordance with the procedure established by law.

Mediation is an independent institution of civil society. And for this reason, civil servants may not combine their official duties with mediation activities. Being representatives of the authorities and holders of state interests, they are restricted in their actions and are not permitted to serve as independent mediators in civil disputes. The existence of potential corruption risks and conflicts of interest undermines their capacity to act objectively and preserve impartiality when carrying out mediation activities.

The training of professional mediators is carried out by mediators’ organizations according to approved programs developed in accordance with the Rules for Completing the Mediator Training Program (hereinafter – the Rules), approved by Order No. 696-NҚ of the Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan as of December 30, 2025, “On Amendments to the Order of the Minister of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 244-NҚ as of June 14, 2023 "On Approval of the Rules for Completing the Mediator Training Program" https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/V2500037762.

In accordance with the approved Rules, mediator training programs are developed by mediators’ organizations based on standard curricula and are subject to submission for consideration to the Coordinating Council for Interaction with Mediators’ Organizations under the authorized body. Training is conducted by mediators’ organizations whose curricula have been approved by the Coordinating Council.

The Rules establish the procedure for completing mediator training programs, the forms of training, the size of training groups, the list of documents to be submitted by persons wishing to undergo training, as well as the categories of persons not permitted to participate in the training.

In accordance with the Rules, there are three types of mediator training programs:

1. “General Mediation Course” – designed for the training of persons wishing to become professional mediators, provided they meet the requirements of paragraph 4 of Article 9 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Mediation”. Training under the “General Mediation Course” program is conducted by mediators’ organizations.

The program consists of no less than 72 academic hours and includes a theoretical component (lectures) and practical lessons, in accordance with Appendix 1 to these Rules.

Prior to the commencement of training, the following documents shall be submitted by the person:

1. a higher education diploma or an electronic document from the Digital Documents service (required for verification);
2. an identity document, including a document issued to individuals or legal entities through the Digital Documents service;
3. in accordance with Appendix 4 to these Rules, persons wishing to undergo training under the “General Mediation Course” program shall provide their consent to the collection and processing of their personal data in the manner established by Article 8 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Personal Data and Its Protection”.

If admission to the training is denied, the mediators’ organization shall issue to the applicant a reasoned written decision indicating the specific grounds for the refusal.

2. “Specialized Mediation Course” – intended for training in a specific area of mediation and for the professional development of mediators.

Training is conducted by mediators’ organizations. The course comprises no less than 32 academic hours for each area of the standard curriculum under the “Specialized Mediation Course” program, in accordance with Appendix 2 to these Rules.

Prior to the commencement of training, the following documents shall be submitted by the person to the mediators’ organization:

1. a certificate confirming completion of the “General Mediation Course” program (a notarized copy if the original certificate is not provided for verification);
2. an identity document, or documents issued through the Digital Documents service for individuals and legal entities;
3. in accordance with Appendix 4 to these Rules, persons wishing to undergo training under the “Specialized Mediation Course” program shall provide their consent to the collection and processing of their personal data in the manner established by Article 8 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Personal Data and Its Protection”.

If admission to the training is denied, the mediators’ organization shall issue to the applicant a reasoned written decision indicating the specific grounds for the refusal.

3. “Mediator Trainer Training Course” – designed for the training of a mediator trainer who wishes to conduct mediation training.

Training is conducted by mediators’ organizations. The course comprises no less than 32 academic hours for each topic of the standard curriculum under the “Mediator Trainer Training Course” program, in accordance with Appendix 3 to these Rules.

Prior to the commencement of training, the following documents shall be submitted by the person:

1. documents confirming continuous professional activity as a mediator for a period of no less than five (5) years;

• documents confirming professional activity;
• copies of the employment contract;
• statement of employment.

2. certificates confirming completion of the “General Mediation Course” and “Specialized Mediation Course” programs (notarized copies if the original certificates are not provided for verification);
3. possession of at least five (5) certificates of participation in seminars and/or professional development courses. At least one of the submitted certificates must have been issued no earlier than one (1) year prior to the commencement of the “Mediator Trainer Training Course” program;
4. an identity document, including a document issued to individuals or legal entities through the Digital Documents service;
5. in accordance with Appendix 4 to these Rules, persons wishing to undergo training under the “Mediator Trainer Training Course” program shall provide their consent to the collection and processing of their personal data in the manner established by Article 8 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Personal Data and Its Protection".

If admission to the training is denied, the mediators’ organization shall issue to the applicant a reasoned written decision indicating the specific grounds for the refusal.

At the conclusion of each program – the “General Mediation Course”, the “Specialized Mediation Course”, and the “Mediator Trainer Training Course” – a final evaluation shall be carried out, certified with the seal of the mediators’ organization conducting the training, and a certificate shall be issued in the form provided in Appendix 5 to these Rules.

According to tax legislation, professional mediators fall into the category of persons engaged in private practice.

Before commencing their activities, individuals must register with the state revenue authorities as persons engaged in private practice, based on a notification submitted in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan on permits and notifications.

Registration of persons engaged in private practice is carried out for the purposes of tax administration and covers individuals performing professional activities on the basis of a license.

The registration of persons engaged in private practice, the modification of their registration data, and their de-registration are regulated by Articles 79–81 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The taxable income of such persons is determined in accordance with Articles 362–365 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. At the same time, they are entitled to professional deductions, the list of which is also established by the aforementioned articles.

In accordance with paragraph 5 of Article 394 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the individual income tax for persons engaged in private practice shall be calculated on a monthly basis, based on the income earned during the month, by applying the rate specified in subparagraph 2) of Article 363 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (9%) to the taxable income of the individual engaged in private practice.

Pursuant to paragraph 6 of Article 394 of the Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the calculated tax amount shall be paid monthly no later than the 5th day of the month following the month for which the tax has been calculated.