Kenya and Qatar Forge New Path for Skilled Labor Migration

Alfred Mutua, the Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, has announced the initiation of bilateral talks with Qatar aimed at finalizing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This agreement marks a shift from the previous 2012 Bilateral Labour Agreement, which predominantly addressed unskilled labor migration, to a focus on skilled labor sectors.

Mutua, who led the Kenyan delegation in discussions with Qatar’s Minister of Labour, His Excellency Saeed Samikh Al-Marri, highlighted the importance of these talks, held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

 “This is a significant step toward expanding our labor export market,” he stated, emphasizing Qatar's ongoing ambitious development projects that have created a soaring demand for skilled workers across various fields such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), healthcare, education, infrastructure, and agriculture.

The new MoU is poised to offer thousands of opportunities for skilled Kenyans, enabling them to contribute to Qatar’s growth while gaining invaluable experience and improving their livelihoods. Mutua reiterated Kenya's commitment to ethical labor practices, ensuring that trained and well-prepared workers meet Qatar’s needs, all while safeguarding their rights and well-being.

“Alongside Principal Secretaries Shadrack Mwadime (Labour), Joseph Motari (Social Protection), and key officials from the National Employment Authority (NEA) and the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), we have engaged with Qatar to ensure that this partnership benefits both countries. We have also agreed to establish a Qatar Visa Centre in Nairobi, which will streamline the migration process, ensuring contracts are properly signed and that all necessary documentation is completed before workers leave for Qatar,” added Mutua.

Currently, approximately 67,000 Kenyans are employed in Qatar. With the implementation of this new agreement, officials anticipate that number could soar to over 200,000, unlocking a wave of job opportunities for Kenyan professionals in critical sectors vital to Qatar’s development.