Kenya has secured commitments for 293,600 job opportunities in Saudi Arabia following bilateral labour negotiations aimed at expanding employment opportunities for Kenyan workers in the Gulf nation.
Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua announced the development on Thursday, November 12, following engagements with Saudi labour officials and employment agencies in Riyadh.
The vacancies cover multiple sectors, including education, healthcare, transport, construction, hospitality, finance, manufacturing and oil and gas, offering opportunities for professionals, skilled workers and domestic employees.
“Following the meeting, I held an extensive engagement with employment agencies operating in Saudi Arabia. These companies signed commitments providing 293,600 job opportunities for Kenyans across various sectors,” Mutua said.
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Teachers, nurses and drivers among available jobs
The employment opportunities include teachers and tutors, nurses, doctors, laboratory technicians and drivers, with vacancies available for both men and women.
Other positions include heavy machinery operators, chefs, waiters, housekeepers, cleaners, baristas, fast-food workers, house helps and homestead cooks.
The announcement follows a meeting between Mutua and Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister for Labour, Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnain, at the Ministry of Labour offices in Riyadh.
The engagements also brought together Kenyan officials and Saudi-based employment agencies to discuss recruitment arrangements and ways of increasing Kenya’s participation in the Saudi labour market.
Kenya urges recruitment agencies to join pilot programme
Mutua called on Kenyan recruitment agencies to take advantage of improved bilateral relations and participate in a three-month pilot programme on voluntary recruitment fees.
“I particularly call upon willing and interested Kenyan recruitment agencies to take advantage of the renewed spirit of cooperation and participate in the three-month pilot on voluntary recruitment fees,” he said.
He added that the initiative would enable agencies to benefit from economies of scale, strengthen their competitiveness and secure a larger share of employment opportunities in Saudi Arabia.
Kenya and Saudi Arabia sign domestic workers recruitment annex
During the Riyadh engagements, Kenya and Saudi Arabia signed a technical annex to their bilateral agreement on the recruitment of domestic workers.
The original agreement was signed on July 5, 2026, with the new annex intended to improve recruitment procedures and strengthen regulatory oversight of Kenyan domestic workers employed in Saudi Arabia.
According to Mutua, the framework provides for simplified recruitment processes, lower recruitment costs and the adoption of integrated technical procedures.
It is also expected to strengthen contractual arrangements, improve workers’ understanding of their rights and obligations, and enhance the quality of recruitment services.
“We appreciate the Saudi Government’s commitment to working with Kenya in developing a more transparent, efficient and responsible recruitment system that protects workers while addressing the legitimate interests of employers,” Mutua said.
New agreement for skilled workers expected within a month
Kenya and Saudi Arabia have also agreed to finalise a separate skilled workers recruitment agreement within one month.
The proposed agreement is expected to expand employment opportunities for Kenyan professionals seeking jobs in the Gulf country and strengthen cooperation in the recruitment of skilled labour.
Mutua said the discussions also addressed the welfare and working conditions of Kenyans already employed in Saudi Arabia.
The two governments explored measures to improve remuneration packages and strengthen pre-departure training and qualification programmes to prepare workers for their assignments and the cultural environment in Gulf countries.
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Kenya seeks restoration of full access for workers to Saudi Arabia
The bilateral talks also addressed restrictions affecting Kenyan workers’ access to Saudi Arabia following reports of Ebola cases in Kenya.
Mutua said the disease had been promptly identified and isolated, maintaining that the country had not experienced community transmission.
“The case was promptly identified and isolated. Kenya is now free of any Ebola cases, and it is important to emphasise that we have never had a single case of community transmission,” he said.
The CS expressed optimism that the clarification will support the full restoration of access for Kenyan workers seeking employment in Saudi Arabia.
