Over 105,000 Kenyans got jobs abroad since 2023 - Cabinet
The Ministry of Labour has identified other nations such as Australia, Qatar, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, the UK, Kuwait, and Northern Ireland as top destinations for Kenyan workers.
During a Cabinet meeting on Thursday chaired by President William Ruto, the Head of State was briefed that 105,367 Kenyans have secured jobs abroad since July 2023.
The cabinet dispatch highlighted that 16,943 of these workers were cleared for international employment opportunities in just the first quarter of the year.
More To Read
- Delays in job placements abroad due to logistics, not fraud, says CS Mutua
- 32 firms blacklisted in crackdown on rogue overseas job agencies
- State flags 26 unregistered recruitment agencies
- 730 Kenyans deported in last three years - Mudavadi
- 316 Kenyans have died in Gulf countries since 2002 – Mudavadi
- Poor pay and economic prospect pushing Kenyans to seek jobs abroad - report
The Cabinet also discussed the growing demand for Kenyan workers in key sectors abroad, with Kenya having signed bilateral labour agreements with Germany and Austria.
The Ministry of Labour has also identified other nations such as Australia, Qatar, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, the UK, Kuwait, and Northern Ireland as top destinations for Kenyan workers.
"The government has put a priority on labour export to create millions of job opportunities for our unemployed citizens," said Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, Alfred Mutua.
As part of the broader plan, the Ministry of Labour has organized job recruitment drives in every county over the coming weeks to further open up global employment opportunities for Kenyans.
Qatar remains a key destination, with bilateral talks aimed at enhancing employment opportunities for skilled Kenyan workers.
Last month, Kenya and Qatar signed an agreement to establish a Qatar Visa Centre in Nairobi.
This move is aimed at streamlining the process of sending Kenyan workers to the Gulf state, where an estimated 67,000 Kenyans are already employed.
The new agreement, which could potentially raise that number to over 200,000, focuses on skilled professionals needed in sectors such as ICT, healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
CS Mutua noted that this agreement will help thousands of Kenyans contribute to Qatar's extensive development projects, which have created significant demand for skilled workers.
In addition to the job creation initiatives, the Cabinet was briefed on significant reforms aimed at improving the recruitment and deployment process for Kenyans seeking jobs abroad.
These include a new registration system for employment agencies that now requires a Sh 500,000 registration fee, with a two-year renewal period.
The National Employment Authority (NEA) will enforce these new regulations to ensure compliance.
Changes were also introduced to pre-departure training programs, which now include combined homecare management and orientation, reducing the total training period for domestic workers from 26 days to just 14.
These reforms are designed to better prepare Kenyan workers for the cultural and professional demands of their destination countries.
The government's broader goal is to facilitate the movement of between 5,000 and 10,000 Kenyan workers abroad each week.
Top Stories Today
- Silent but deadly: Growing burden of respiratory diseases in Kenya
- Samsung to launch ultra-slim Galaxy S25 edge globally on May 12: What to expect
- Cold showers: The wellness trend making waves, but are they for everyone?
- How officers recruitment freeze has affected police-to-civilian ratio- KNBS
- Sudan envoy defies junta’s orders to cut ties with UAE, saying it is "irrelevant"
- Community elders and religious leaders in Garissa empowered on handling alternative justice system
- First white South Africans to arrive under US refugee plan as soon as next week
- Lamu records highest increase in ID card applications as border regions see surge
- Seven dead, houses submerged as heavy rains cause severe flooding in Mogadishu
- EAC central banks adopt master plan to modernise cross-border payments
- Health Ministry begins issuance of title deeds to safeguard public facilities from land grabs
- Chef Mohamud shares his recipe for crispy chicken wings you can make at home
- Google messages to roll out 'Delete for Everyone' feature on Android
- Consumers to benefit from decline in global commodity prices, says World Bank
- Private sector dominates Kenya’s borehole drilling as state spending dips
- Senate starts probe on expired medicine crisis in counties
- Cheluget family backs Ruto’s Narok land deal for resettlement
- Gaza’s health system under fire: 1,400 medics killed in targeted attacks
- Nurses reject payroll transfer to counties, vow to continue strike
- China, Russia unite against global bullying and power play
