Labour Cabinet Secretary Dr Alfred Mutua has announced plans to stop recruitment agencies from charging jobseekers exorbitant amounts of money for employment opportunities abroad.
Speaking at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi during the official opening of the Kenya-German Labour Migration Conference and Job Fair, CS Alfred Mutua said the ministry is working on a new policy that will see recruitment agencies barred from charging jobseekers.
“It makes no sense to ask those seeking jobs to pay local agencies huge sums of money, yet the agencies are paid by prospective employers,” Mutua remarked.
In his remarks, Mutua urged agencies to leverage their profits from volume-based business models, instead of exploiting Kenyans.
He added that there will be a rating system for the agencies to foster accountability in the human resource recruitment sector and protect those looking for opportunities from exploitation.
“We are tightening the noose on rogue employment agencies. Those not ready to do the right thing should quit the business,” he added.
Mutua commended recruitment agencies that are adhering to professional hiring standards while reiterating that agencies under investigation risk suspension of their licenses.
The job fair comes after Kenya and Germany signed a bilateral labour migration agreement that will see qualified citizens travel to the European country for work and studies.
It aimed to raise awareness about legal migration processes and employment opportunities in Germany.
Reacting to concerns of the increasing number of Kenyans leaving the country to work abroad, Mutua stated that remittances from those who work abroad and the skills they bring back to the country have proven to be important.
He revealed that in May 2024, remittances from Kenyans working in the diaspora reached a record high of Ksh52.4 billion, signaling the valuable contribution of Kenyans working in the diaspora to the country’s economy.
On his part, German Ambassador to Kenya Sebastian Groth emphasized Mutua’s sentiments, adding that Germany had no intention of depleting Kenya’s human resource.
Mutua Warns on Illegal Migration
As European countries like Germany take measures to curb illegal immigration in their jurisdictions, Mutua urged Kenyans living illegally in Germany to return home and formalize their stay.
He warned that the government would not tolerate illegal practices.
The cabinet secretary also revealed that since the signing of the bilateral agreement between Kenya and Germany, 495 job orders have been received from Germany, showing the increased opportunities for Kenyan professionals abroad.
Also Read: How Kenyans can Apply for Germany Jobs
President William Ruto and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz signed the labor migration deal on September 14,2024, after both leaders agreed that their countries could benefit from each other in terms of labour.
“This agreement can help us to compensate for a shortage of skilled workers,” Scholz said.
Also Read:Kenya Eyes Job Deal with Another Country Days After Germany Agreement
On his part, Ruto stated that Kenya has skilled human resource that can be of value to Germany.
“We can combine the innovation, creativity, energy, talent, knowledge of our young people with German investment, technology and resources and provide for a win-win outcome,” Ruto said.
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