The National Government through the Ministry of Labour and Social Development has unveiled 300,000 job opportunities abroad through the National Employment Authority Portal.
Speaking during a tree planting exercise at Taita Taveta University on Saturday where over 5,000 tree seedlings were planted, the Principal Secretary (PS) for Labour and Skills Development at the Ministry of Labour and Social Development Shadrack Mwadime highlighted significant progress in Kenya’s employment sector.
The PS stated that the National Employment Authority portal currently boasts 300,000 job opportunities uploaded by private recruitment agencies as a result of the Ministry’s insistence on transparency and accessibility in job postings.
Mwadime encouraged Kenyans interested in establishing private recruitment agencies to seize the opportunity, emphasizing that this is a promising avenue for creating employment opportunities abroad.
He acknowledged the mistrust among the youth, who often dismissed overseas job offers as scams due to past experiences with fraudulent conmen.
“There are many job opportunities opening up abroad, but when you try to advise a youth, they think these are scams. Many youths have been cheated by conmen and have lost their money. That might be the reason they shun online job opportunities because they have lost confidence,” said Mwadime.
To counter this, Mwadime reiterated that the government has taken stringent measures to ensure that labour migration is organized and secure by ensuring a thorough vetting process of private recruitment agencies, which he said has reduced the number of overseas employment agencies from approximately 1,000 to about 500.
“This is what we are telling our young people, when you access the National Employment Authority website, you will see recruitment agencies marked with red. Leave them. Their legal status is questionable. But the ones that are in black are okay. You can apply through them and get the job abroad,” said the PS.
Mwadime stressed that the government’s strategy is not to encourage permanent migration but rather temporary employment abroad.
He said that this approach aims to boost the domestic economy, as returning workers invest their earnings in local projects, benefiting sectors such as construction and small businesses.
“We want them to go for two or three years and bring back the money to their country. When they construct houses or start businesses, our children who have remained here will also benefit. A Kenyan who is abroad and thinking of constructing a mansion or warehouse will hire a mason from here, use sand from here, and buy building stones from here. The money will circulate in our economy,” he added.
The PS stated that by sending youths abroad for two to three years, the initiative seeks to emulate traditional exports, such as tea and coffee, positioning the Kenyan workforce as a valuable economic asset.
“It is a deliberate strategy of sending our youths abroad. It’s like export. The way we export tea and coffee, it’s how we are sending our youths, a major export. They go, look for money abroad, and bring it back to their home country,” he noted.
The Principal Secretary’s speech emphasized the government’s commitment to fostering organized labour migration, enhancing economic growth, and restoring confidence among the youth in pursuing legitimate job opportunities abroad.
By Arnold Linga Masila
