He revealed that the bilateral negotiations with other countries are aimed at expanding the government’s labour export market beyond Kenya’s traditional destinations.Â
Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has announced that the government is in the final stages of negotiations to secure job opportunities for Kenyans.
Mwaura issued a statement following an interview with Nation FM on Monday, November 18, while announcing that a total of 105,367 Kenyans have benefitted from job opportunities abroad in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain among others.
He revealed that the bilateral negotiations with other countries are aimed at expanding the government’s labour export market beyond Kenya’s traditional destinations.Â
“Active negotiations are in the sunset stages with Russia, Poland and Jordan to open more doors of opportunities to Kenyans abroad. A new recruitment for these foreign opportunities will kick off from 18th November to 6th December 2024 across the counties,” Mwaura announced.
Labour CS Alfred Mutua with Kenyans lining up for jobs at KICC on Friday, October 25, 2024. /ALFRED MUTUA
“We encourage Kenyans to seize these opportunities which not only provide jobs but also skills and technology transfer to Kenya.”
This recruitment drive started today and will run concurrently with another one set to begin on Wednesday, November 20, as announced by Labour Cabinet Secretary (CS) Alfred Mutua. The other one will cover all 47 counties and “build on the success of our recent recruitment drive for jobs in Qatar.”
The CS reported on Friday, November 15 that during the first phase of the Qatar initiative, 3,247 Kenyans were selected out of the 8,000 available positions.
“I am pleased to report that nearly 1,500 of them have already received their offer letters and are finalizing their travel documentation. We expect all successful candidates to depart in the coming weeks to begin their careers,” he stated in part.
“The Qatari company responsible for these positions will return soon to complete recruitment for the remaining 5,000 slots.”
To ensure this recruitment drive is accessible to all, Mutua announced that the government is working closely with the National Employment Authority (NEA), the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), and licensed recruitment agencies. Recruitment activities will thus take place at county headquarters and TVET institutions.
To further streamline the process, the CS revealed that officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) will be on-site to facilitate fingerprinting for certificates of good conduct, while immigration officials will assist with preliminary passport applications.
“I encourage all job seekers to prepare by bringing their ID cards and relevant qualification documents. It is also important to apply for certificates of good conduct on the eCitizen platform and ensure that passport application requirements are completed in advance.
“This initiative reflects our government’s commitment, under the leadership of H.E. President Dr William Ruto, to creating employment opportunities and enhancing labour mobility. I believe this recruitment drive will not only change lives but also position Kenyans as competitive professionals in the global job market,” he added.
