Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua Secures 293,600 Saudi Job Opportunities for Kenyans

Labour Cabinet Secretary Dr. Alfred Mutua announced that Kenya has secured commitments for 293,600 job opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia following bilateral labour talks in Riyadh on November 12, 2026.

The commitments were made after Mutua met Saudi Vice Minister for Labour H.E. Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnain at the Ministry of Labour offices in Riyadh, in the presence of Kenyan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Amb. Joseph Masila and senior officials from both governments.

Mutua said the jobs span sectors such as healthcare, education, construction, hospitality, transport, manufacturing, finance, oil and gas and domestic work, covering roles from drivers, caregivers and teachers to nurses, doctors, laboratory technicians, heavy-machinery operators and chefs.

The agreements were part of the government’s Kazi Majuu programme and were accompanied by the signing of a technical annex to the bilateral domestic-worker recruitment agreement originally signed on July 5, 2026, which aims to streamline recruitment procedures, reduce costs and strengthen contractual safeguards.

Both sides also agreed to finalise a separate skilled-workers recruitment agreement within one month and to launch a three-month pilot on voluntary recruitment fees for domestic workers, intended to make Kenyan agencies more competitive.

Mutua highlighted that Saudi Arabia recruits an average of 2.5 million new workers annually and that Kenya is positioning itself to capture a larger share of that market.

Discussions also addressed the welfare of Kenyans already in Saudi Arabia, including better remuneration, pre-departure training and improved working conditions, and sought the restoration of full access for Kenyan workers after an Ebola case was identified, isolated and recorded as having no community transmission in Kenya.