Published
06/13/2026, 10:44The Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration provides information on the key provisions of labour legislation governing the employment of persons under the age of 18.
The minimum age for employment, as established by the Labour Code of the Kyrgyz Republic, is 16 years. In exceptional cases, subject to agreement with the organisation’s workers’ representative body or the authorised state labour authority, persons who have reached the age of 15 may be employed.
Pupils who have reached the age of 14 are entitled to enter into an employment contract with the written consent of a parent (guardian, custodian) or the guardianship and custody authority, to perform light work during their free time from school that does not harm their health and does not interfere with their education.
For workers aged between 14 and 16, working hours may not exceed 24 hours per week; for workers aged between 16 and 18, they may not exceed 36 hours per week.
The Labour Code of the Kyrgyz Republic includes a number of provisions aimed at the protection of minors in the workplace. The main provisions are contained in Chapter 11, which deals with the specific regulations governing the employment of certain categories of workers, including those under the age of 18. This chapter imposes direct prohibitions on the employment of minors in certain types of work.
Furthermore, the prohibition on employing young men and women under the age of 18 in heavy work or work involving harmful or hazardous working conditions is enshrined in the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic ‘On Labour Protection’.
Every year, inspectors from the authorised service carry out inspections of all enterprises and organisations, regardless of their form of ownership, to ensure compliance with labour legislation regarding the employment of young people and children.
Furthermore, raids are organised throughout the country involving staff from district internal affairs departments and social workers to identify instances of child labour.
