UPDATE: President William Ruto has announced that Kenyans will be able to move to Qatar for thousands of jobs.
In a statement, the head of state noted that a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will take effect in December 2024, to allow the move.
Additionally, he indicated that Kenyans who will secure the jobs will get equal pay and benefits comparable to those of their international counterparts.
“Kenya and Qatar are strengthening their bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest. We are working to eliminate barriers to labour mobility to create job opportunities for skilled Kenyans in Qatar.
“Under a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) set to take effect in December 2024, Kenyan workers will gain increased access to professional roles in sectors such as health, ICT, education, and hospitality, with equal pay and benefits comparable to those of their international counterparts.”
According to Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary (CS) Alfred Mutua on Sunday, October 6, the Kenyan government had already begun talks towards finalizing the MOU.
Moreover, the jobs will be in the ICT, health, education, infrastructure, and agriculture sectors.
Mutua and other delegates met the Qatar team at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) to kick off the discussions.
“The new agreement, currently under negotiation, will amend the 2012 Bilateral Labour Agreement, which primarily focused on unskilled labor migration.”
“This MoU will open doors for thousands of skilled Kenyans to contribute to Qatar’s key developmental projects, and the new opportunities will also enhance Kenya’s labor export market,” said Mutua.
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Qatar Visa Centre to be Established to help Kenyans Migrate
On the other hand, the CS indicated that the two countries agreed to establish a Qatar Visa Centre in Nairobi to streamline the migration process.
Qatar’s Minister of Labour, Saeed Samikh Al-Marri, stated that the center will handle visa applications.
In addition, the establishment will ensure that contracts are properly signed, and necessary documentation is completed before workers leave for Qatar.
“With the new visa center, we can ensure that all workers are processed and protected before they depart, reducing risks and enhancing transparency,” said Al-Marri.
There are approximately 67,000 Kenyans working in Qatar by the time of publication of this article. Under the new agreement, the number is expected to rise to over 200,000
This means that over 133,000 Kenyans will have the opportunity to migrate to the Gulf nation under the agreement.
Mutua, who was accompanied by Principal Secretaries Shadrack Mwadime (Labour), Joseph Motari (Social Protection), and key officials from the National Employment Authority (NEA) and National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), lauded Qatar for its ethical labor practices and commitment to fair treatment of workers.
Also Read: Teachers Unable to Apply for 46,000 Jobs as Deadline Nears
Kenya Germany Jobs Deal
Germany and Kenya signed a deal on controlled migration on Friday, September 13, to enable Berlin to open its doors to skilled and semi-skilled Kenyan workers.
Further, Germany agreed to ease some of its immigration laws to enable Kenyans to find employment in Europe’s biggest economy.
However, on Saturday, September 14, Germany’s Interior Ministry dismissed a BBC World report, that it would be offering Kenyans 250,000 jobs under the agreement. Instead, the minister clarified that the deal did not include specific job numbers.
On the other hand, while speaking on Sunday, Ruto said the recruitment exercise for the first batch will be held on September 27, 2024, insisting that the program will come to pass.
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