Kenya is set to sign bilateral labor agreements with three countries in the Middle East by the end of 2019, officials said on Friday.
Winnie Pertet, the chairperson of Kenya National Employment Authority, told a media briefing in Nairobi that Nairobi has already signed similar agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“Kenya is currently in talks to sign bilateral labor agreements with three other Middle East countries in order to expand employment opportunities for Kenyans,” Pertet said.
She noted that bilateral agreements formalize the labor agreements of Kenyans and help improve their employment terms and conditions.
According to the employment regulator, the agreements will also provide a better environment for the Kenyan embassies to take care of Kenyans facing difficulties in foreign countries.
Pertet said that there are approximately 500,000 Kenyans working in the Middle East with Saudi Arabia being the most popular destination.
She noted that most Kenyan workers in the Gulf region are in the domestic and semi-skilled sectors.
“Our hope is that we can also place Kenyans in the skilled sectors which are more lucrative,” she added.
Pertet added that only licensed employment agencies will be allowed to take Kenyans abroad for employment. She added that so far 100 agents have been licensed by the government.