President William Ruto announced a new opportunity for 7,000 skilled Kenyan workers to secure employment in Qatar.
This announcement came during a high-level meeting at State House, where the President expressed his gratitude to Qatar’s Minister of Labour, Dr. Ali Bin Samikh Al-Marri, for facilitating improved labor processes between the two nations.
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Enhanced Documentation Process
A key highlight of the meeting was the establishment of a Qatar Visa Centre in Nairobi, along with a new station dedicated to streamlining the job application and contract signing processes. President Ruto lauded this development, stating:
“I’m proud of what you were able to achieve. The fact that you are improving the working conditions of people working in your country is a positive development. It makes it easy to process people who want to go to Qatar. Documentation becomes much easier.”
Timeline and Targeted Sectors
The President provided more details on the implementation of this agreement, explaining that eligible Kenyans could start their journey to Qatar as early as December 2024, pending proper documentation. He emphasized the diverse range of sectors open to Kenyan professionals:
“Let me also appreciate the offer of 7000 workers. I’m sure you are targeting fields in which we have qualified personnel like Health, ICT, Education, and Hospitality are fields that Kenyans are known for in providing high-quality services.”
Showcasing Kenyan Talent
President Ruto took the opportunity to highlight the exceptional qualities of Kenyan workers, positioning them as valuable assets in the global labor market. He remarked:
“We have approximately 4 million Kenyans working outside Kenya and it is our intention to expand the pool of Kenyans working outside the country. Kenyans can fit in any economy in the world. We have a high-quality labour force. They are known for less supervision and high output. It is one of the assets we have as a country and we want to share it with the rest of the world.”
Broader Implications and Future Prospects
Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua shed light on ongoing efforts to update the existing labor agreement with Qatar.
He confirmed that Kenya had entered into bilateral talks aimed at revising the 2012 agreement, which primarily focused on unskilled labor migration. The new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is expected to encompass a wider range of skilled professions.
Mutua expressed optimism about the potential impact of this new agreement, projecting a significant increase in the number of Kenyans employed in Qatar:
“With the new deal, Mutua expects the Kenyan labour force in Qatar to rise from 67,000 to 200,000. This will not only unlock mammoth employment opportunities for Kenyans, but it will also extend the country’s skilled labour force to Qatar and beyond.”
This announcement comes as Kenyans submit their applications for the DV Lottery 2026, hoping to get work opportunities in the U.S.
