Can I live in Kazakhstan while working remotely for a foreign company?

I've been working remotely for a European software company for the past three years, and I'm considering moving to Almaty for a while. My employer is fine with me working from another country, and I wouldn't be looking for a local job or doing business with Kazakh clients. The problem is that I'd like to stay for at least a year, and I'm not sure what kind of residence or visa arrangements would make that possible. Most of the information I've found seems to be about tourists or people hired by local companies, which doesn't really match my situation. Has anyone moved to Kazakhstan while keeping a remote job abroad? What are the requirements for staying there legally for that long?

Your employer being fine with the move definitely helps, but immigration won't care much about an email from HR saying remote work is okay. You still need a legal basis to stay in Kazakhstan for that long, and your case is different from someone taking a job with a local company. So before signing a long lease in Almaty, sort out what status will cover the full stay and where you need to apply for it. I'd also ask what proof of your foreign employment they want, because that will matter a lot more than the fact that your boss approved the move.

A year abroad is long enough that doing border runs every few months would get old pretty fast. Better to sort out one proper status from the start, so you're not planning rent, banking, and everyday life around the next exit date. You can read how to get a Neo Nomad visa in Kazakhstan here: http://support-agency.kz/en/services/neo-nomad-visa-kazakhstan . Check how long the visa is issued for and what the renewal rules are before you commit to the move. For a stay that long, those two details matter a lot more than squeezing another few months out of tourist entries.