The article presents a comprehensive analysis of migration processes that have developed in the Republic of Kazakhstan during the period of independence, focusing on their historical, socio-economic, and legal dimensions. The study examines changes in the scale and direction of internal and external migration in the context of the transition to a market economy, political transformation, and restructuring of social relations. Based on the laws on migration adopted in the early 1990s and subsequently amended, the article reveals the formation of state migration policy and the mechanisms regulating ethnic repatriation, labor migration, and educational migration.

Special attention is given to the issues of reception, settlement, social adaptation, and integration of ethnic Kazakhs returning to their historical homeland. Using archival materials and official statistical data from the Turkestan region (formerly South Kazakhstan region), the study analyzes the demographic structure of migration flows, age composition, educational level, and labor potential of migrants. The impact of seasonal and labor migration on the socio-economic development of the region is also examined.

Educational migration is analyzed as part of international competition in the global education market and as a key factor in human capital formation. Student mobility is considered in relation to the development of the education system, labor market dynamics, and demographic security. The article concludes that effective regulation of migration processes is a crucial prerequisite for ensuring social stability, supporting regional development, and achieving sustainable long-term socio-economic growth in the Republic of Kazakhstan.