Abstract
The rapid growth of large cities driven by migration changes the conditions under which the labor market and social infrastructure operate, and the resulting socio‑economic risks may manifest differently for women and men. The study aims to assess gender‑based socio‑economic vulnerability in the context of migration‑driven growth in Almaty by analyzing gender differences in the labor market and comparing them with migration dynamics. The methodology includes comparative and dynamic analysis, calculation of relative migration indicators, gender gaps in economic activity, unemployment, and wages, as well as indices of changes in social infrastructure relative to population growth. The initial information base consisted of official statistical data from the Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2015–2025. The population of Almaty increased from 1,707,439 to 2,348,103 people. Between 2015 and 2025, the migration turnover increased from 146,838 to 517,423 people, and the share of the migration balance in the total migration turnover decreased from 27.75% to 7.04%. At the same time, pronounced gender differences in the labour market persisted: in 2024, the labour force participation rate was 80.1% among women and 86.2% among men. The results show that Almaty's migration and demographic growth are accompanied by persistent gender differences in the labor market and uneven adaptation rates across individual elements of the social infrastructure.