Kenyans cautioned against fraudulent foreign job agencies

The government has cautioned Kenyans seeking employment abroad to guard against fraudulent recruitment agencies that exploit job seekers by demanding money for non-existent vacancies.

Assistant Director of Skills and Expertise in the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, Jennifer Wanami, said the government was intensifying grassroots sensitisation campaigns to help young people identify legitimate overseas employment opportunities and avoid falling victim to unscrupulous recruiters.

Speaking at the Kisumu National Polytechnic during a community engagement dubbed Kazi Majuu, Maisha Diaspora, Wanami said some recruitment agents operated fictitious offices and demanded money from unsuspecting job seekers before disappearing without securing them employment.

“We are telling them to be very careful. A person cannot just come in with a fictitious office and purport to be recruiting for jobs abroad,” she said.

The Assistant Director urged job seekers to verify recruitment agencies and employment offers before making financial commitments, adding that the department could conduct due diligence in collaboration with Kenyan embassies, high commissions and consulates abroad.

She also cautioned young people against selling land and other valuable property to finance overseas employment without first establishing the legitimacy of the opportunity.

The government, she said, was strengthening labour mobility pathways through bilateral labour agreements and strategic partnerships with foreign governments to connect Kenyans with employment opportunities, particularly in skilled professions.

Wanami said the opportunities included teaching, engineering, agriculture, nursing, information technology and maritime services, depending on vacancies available in destination countries.

She noted that some countries were experiencing ageing populations and shortages of younger workers, creating demand for skilled foreign labour.

Kenya has entered into labour cooperation arrangements with countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Germany to facilitate overseas employment and strengthen protections for migrant workers.

Wanami said the government was working with institutions including the Youth Enterprise Development Fund, the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority, Kenya Commercial Bank and Equity Bank, which offer products to support labour mobility.

She added that the Diaspora Placement Agency facilitated overseas recruitment through formal channels to promote safe, regular and orderly labour migration.

Labour migration from Kenya increased in the mid-1980s, amid declining economic performance and high unemployment, with workers seeking better-paying jobs in the Gulf states, other African countries, Europe, North America and Australia.

Kenya has since strengthened regulation through laws such as the Employment Act, 2007, and the National Employment Authority Act, 2016 to streamline diaspora job placement for Kenyans.

In 2023, the government published Sessional Paper No. 5 of 2023 on the National Policy on Labour Migration to improve coordination, promote safe and orderly migration, and protect migrant workers. The National Assembly approved the policy in December 2025.

The government has also pursued a Global Labour Market Strategy for 2023–2027 and established the Diaspora Placement Agency in 2023 to connect Kenyans with overseas employment opportunities through formal recruitment channels.

Foreign Service Officer at the State Department for Diaspora Affairs,  Ann Kimani, advised prospective migrant workers to consult the National Employment Authority website to identify licensed recruitment agencies.

Kimani said the department also conducts pre-departure training to prepare successful applicants for life and work in their destination countries.

The training covers language requirements, cultural practices and other essential information to help workers adapt to their new environments and safeguard their welfare.

She cited Germany as one of the destinations recruiting professionals in information technology and nursing, noting that applicants must meet the relevant language requirements, adding that Saudi Arabia was also recruiting nurses.

Kimani further advised Kenyans working abroad to register with the nearest Kenyan embassy, high commission or consulate to facilitate assistance in case of emergencies or other challenges.

The Kisumu National Polytechnic Deputy Principal, Patricia Naliaka, said the institution was committed to equipping trainees with skills to compete for employment opportunities locally and internationally.

Naliaka said the training also aimed to develop entrepreneurial skills among graduates to enable them to establish businesses and create employment opportunities in Kenya, including after gaining experience abroad.

She said engagement between the institution and the State Department for Diaspora Affairs will help trainees understand the procedures for accessing overseas employment and prepare them for opportunities in international labour markets.

Wanami said inadequate access to reliable information remained a major obstacle to safe labour migration, urging young people to use the department’s official communication channels to verify vacancies and recruitment procedures.

The State Department for Diaspora Affairs was established in 2022 to strengthen the government’s engagement with Kenyans living and working abroad.

Its mandate includes protecting the welfare of Kenyans overseas, promoting diaspora investment and facilitating access to international employment opportunities.

Through the Kazi Majuu initiative, the government seeks to expand labour mobility by establishing partnerships with foreign governments and employers.

The initiative targets skilled workers in sectors such as healthcare, information technology, education, engineering and maritime services, depending on available vacancies and destination-country requirements.

The government has also established the Diaspora Placement Agency to facilitate overseas recruitment through formal and regulated channels.

The initiative complements bilateral labour agreements and other partnerships intended to provide Kenyan workers with safer and more orderly pathways to international employment.

The department has urged prospective migrant workers to verify recruitment agencies through the National Employment Authority and confirm job offers before making payments or selling property to finance their travel.

It also advises Kenyans working abroad to register with the nearest Kenyan embassy, high commission or consulate to facilitate assistance in case of emergencies.

The engagement at The Kisumu National Polytechnic was part of a series of grassroots meetings, aimed at sensitising residents on safe labour migration.

The delegation was also scheduled to engage communities in East Kano and at Maseno University, alongside other outreach activities within Kisumu town.

Data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows an estimated three to four million Kenyans live and work abroad, depending on whether the count includes temporary workers, students, and broader multigenerational ties.

 Meanwhile, thousands of undocumented Kenyans living in the diaspora or those using irregular migration routes have always found themselves in distress, facing imprisonment, deportation, or exploitation in their respective host countries.

By Mabel Keya-Shikuku and Dorothy Pamella (intern) and Rose Anyul