Thousands of Kenyans continue to seek employment opportunities outside the country, with several destinations emerging as major hubs for Kenyan workers.
Based on the latest available 2025–2026 migrant-stock data and labor-migration estimates, the United States remains the largest foreign destination for Kenyans working or residing abroad, followed by the United Kingdom.
“Most Kenyans live in the USA, the United Kingdom, and Australia — these three countries account for about 70% of all Kenyans living abroad,” the Migranto report states.
The Gulf region also remains a major destination, with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar employing large numbers of Kenyans across various sectors.
Other prominent destinations include Australia, Canada, and Germany, which have attracted Kenyan workers in areas such as healthcare, IT, engineering, education, and skilled trades.
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In Africa, South Africa and neighboring countries, including Tanzania, Uganda, and Mozambique, continue to account for significant numbers of Kenyans working in the region.
Leading Countries Where Kenyans Work
| Destination | Kenyans | Remittance Share | 2025 YoY Trend | Key Sectors |
| 🇺🇸 USA | 500,000+ | 50.4% | Stable | Healthcare, IT, education, business |
| 🇬🇧 UK | 200,000+ | ~8% | ↑ 7.6% | NHS nurses, care, IT, finance |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | 50,000+ | ~5% | ↑ 16.56% | Nursing, IT, trades, education |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 30,000+ | ~4% | ↑ 21.93% | IT, engineering, healthcare |
| 🇦🇪 UAE | 60,000 | ~4% | ↑ 24.4% | Hospitality, security, finance |
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 100,000+ | ~3% | ↓ 25% | Domestic work, security, construction |
| 🇶🇦 Qatar | 50,000+ | ~2% | ↓ | Construction, security, hospitality |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 40,000+ | ~3% | ↑ Growing | IT, healthcare, skilled migration |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | 30,000+ | ~1% | Stable | Business, trade, education |
Why Western Countries Are Becoming a New Magnet for Kenyan Workers
According to the Work Visa Guide report, the 2026 picture points to expanding opportunities in several Western destinations, particularly for skilled Kenyan workers.
“The 2026 picture, finally, is one of accelerating opportunity in the West and accelerating risk in the Gulf,” it states.
The report says UK NHS recruitment is continuing at a high pace, while Canada’s Express Entry is issuing Invitations to Apply for healthcare and IT occupations.
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In Australia, the skilled migration program is prioritizing sectors including healthcare, construction and engineering.
It further highlights changes to Germany’s Blue Card rules, including more flexible salary and education-equivalence requirements.
The report contrasts these developments with what it describes as increasing challenges in the Gulf, citing a decline in Saudi Arabia’s remittance share, disruption to movement during March–May 2026, and government repatriations involving Kenyan domestic workers.
“Saudi remittance share collapsed in 2025, the Iran war has frozen movement in March-May 2026, and Kenyan domestic worker abuse cases have prompted government repatriations.”
According to a September 2026 statement by Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu, Kenya has placed more than 580,000 Kenyans in overseas jobs through the Kazi Majuu labor-mobility program, with diaspora remittances reaching about US$5.04 billion in 2025.
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ 2025 Statistical Abstract provides the underlying migration data by country of residence, while ILO-supported reports note that over 103,800 Kenyan migrant workers were deployed abroad in 2024/25.
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