- Kenya is pursuing a major overseas employment deal targeting hundreds of thousands of job seekers.
- Nairobi and Riyadh have agreed to fast-track a skilled workers recruitment framework.
- New safeguards aim to improve recruitment standards, workers’ welfare and employment conditions in Saudi Arabia.
The government has announced plans to secure 293,600 employment opportunities for Kenyans in Saudi Arabia, in a move expected to expand access to overseas jobs across multiple professional and skilled sectors.
Labour Cabinet Secretary (CS) Alfred Mutua said the opportunities followed discussions with Saudi government officials and representatives of employment agencies during his visit to Riyadh.
The available positions span healthcare, construction, hospitality, education, transport, manufacturing, finance, oil and gas, as well as domestic work.
Among the targeted occupations are doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, teachers, caregivers, drivers, chefs, waiters, factory workers and heavy machinery operators.
Mutua said the government was working to strengthen labour cooperation between Kenya and Saudi Arabia through the Kazi Majuu programme, while ensuring that Kenyans seeking employment abroad were recruited under fair and transparent conditions.
During a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister for Labour, Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnain, on November 12, 2026, the two countries agreed to have their technical teams finalise a skilled workers recruitment agreement within one month.
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The discussions also focused on improving workers’ welfare, salaries, recruitment procedures and pre-departure training to ensure Kenyan workers are adequately prepared for employment in the Gulf nation.
The CS said the government was keen to ensure that the growing demand for foreign labour in Saudi Arabia translated into meaningful opportunities for Kenyan professionals and other job seekers.
He noted that Saudi Arabia recruits an estimated 2.5 million new workers annually, presenting Kenya with an opportunity to increase its participation in the country’s labour market.
The engagements also resulted in the signing of a technical annex to the bilateral agreement on domestic workers’ recruitment, initially signed by the two countries on July 5, 2026.
The agreement seeks to streamline recruitment, lower associated costs and strengthen safeguards governing the relationship between employers and domestic workers.
Kenya and Saudi Arabia also signed a letter of intent for a three-month pilot programme on voluntary recruitment fees for domestic workers.
Mutua said the government would prioritise the protection of Kenyans working abroad through enforceable contracts, proper remuneration and improved recruitment standards.
The announcement comes amid efforts by the government to expand international employment opportunities as part of its strategy to address unemployment and create alternative sources of livelihood for Kenyans.
By Kimwele Mutuku
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