Freelance services for rural self-employed youth in labor-surplus regions of Kazakhstan

In recent years, freelancing as a form of employment has been gaining popularity among the youth of Kazakhstan, including rural areas, where young professionals are looking for new forms of earnings in the context of limited opportunities in traditional labor market. The goal is to assess the level of self-employment of young personnel in the regions of the republic characterized by the greatest labor surplus and show new trends in the formation of freelancing as a tool for their employment and increasing profitability. Methods - generalization of domestic and foreign literary sources, empirical analysis of available statistical information and sociological research based on online monitoring and Internet survey, since freelancers are special group of respondents whose way of life is associated with "virtual reality", they are difficult to reach and contact researchers exclusively via the Internet. Results - trends in the formation of freelance services as intellectual and creative form of self-employment of young villagers in rural areas were studied, as well as analysis of its prospects for young people in the context of digital transformation of economy. Particular attention is paid to socio-economic factors, digital infrastructure, as well as the specifics of regional labor market in labor-surplus areas of the country. Based on sociological study, social environment of labor relations of rural self-employed youth was considered, incentives for increasing the level of labor activity and income of young specialists for mastering a new type of labor organization - freelancing were identified. Conclusions - the authors recommend building up the potential of this type of labor activity in labor market as the most progressive models of labor partnership among self-employed youth in the village. Further scientific research and government initiatives to support the freelance community can accelerate the integration of young people into digital markets and development of rural areas.