Over 105,000 Kenyans got jobs abroad since 2023 - Cabinet
By Maureen Kinyanjui |
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.
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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.
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