The Kenyan government has set a target of at least 10,000 job placements every month in Saudi Arabia following a new labour cooperation agreement. The agreement aims to lower recruitment costs and expand employment opportunities for Kenyans. Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua signed a Letter of Intent with Saudi Arabia's Vice Minister for Human Resources and Social Development, Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnain, in Riyadh.
The agreement establishes a recruitment framework with an initial three-month pilot programme that introduces an agreed ceiling on the overall cost of hiring Kenyan workers. This move is intended to address the high fees charged by recruitment agencies, which have left many job seekers struggling to raise money before securing employment abroad. Mutua emphasized that reducing these costs would allow workers to retain more of their earnings.
The proposed pilot will involve voluntary participation from recruitment agencies in Kenya and Saudi Arabia that are willing and able to operate within the agreed all-inclusive recruitment cost ceiling. The government plans to work through the National Employment Authority (NEA) to identify recruitment agencies that meet the requirements and facilitate the processing of job demand orders.
The initiative is expected to open up opportunities across several sectors of the Saudi economy, including transport, hospitality, education, healthcare, construction, retail, and oil and gas. Targeted occupations include drivers, hospitality workers, tutors, teachers, medical practitioners, and construction workers.
To ensure a smooth implementation, Kenya will conduct readiness reviews of medical centres, facilitate compliance by participating agencies, and expedite the processing of candidates' documentation. Saudi Arabia, in turn, will coordinate with its embassy in Nairobi to facilitate faster visa processing and support the onboarding of participating employers and recruitment agencies.
The three-month pilot will be jointly reviewed by the two governments to assess recruitment numbers, implementation, and outcomes before deciding whether to extend or adjust the arrangement. Mutua also cautioned Kenyans against dealing with unlicensed recruitment agents and individuals promising overseas jobs without verifiable employment offers.
The agreement reflects the government's efforts to expand overseas employment as a response to unemployment and demand for better-paying opportunities. The objective is not merely to facilitate the movement of workers abroad but to ensure they secure decent jobs and work under conditions that protect their rights and dignity.
Key points
- Kenya aims to place at least 10,000 workers in Saudi Arabia every month under the new labour agreement.
- The agreement introduces a ceiling on recruitment costs to protect Kenyan workers from high fees.
- The pilot programme will be reviewed after three months to assess its effectiveness.
