Kenya and Saudi Arabia are negotiating expanded recruitment opportunities for Kenyan professionals.
Labour CS Alfred Mutua says technical teams will finalise a recruitment agreement as Kenya seeks more professional jobs and stronger worker protections.
Kenya and Saudi Arabia aim to finalise a skilled workers deal within one month, Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has said. The proposed agreement would open more opportunities for Kenyan professionals in the Saudi labour market.
Mutua discussed the recruitment agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister for Labour, Dr Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnain, in Riyadh on November 12. He said technical teams would complete the agreement within the proposed timeframe.
Skilled workers deal targets wider employment
The talks come as Kenya seeks a larger share of employment opportunities in Saudi Arabia. According to Mutua, recruitment agencies in the Kingdom have committed to providing 293,600 jobs for Kenyans across several sectors.
Those opportunities cover healthcare, education, construction, hospitality, transport, manufacturing, finance and domestic work, among other areas. The proposed skilled recruitment agreement forms part of Kenya’s effort to expand access to that labour market.
Saudi Arabia also agreed to explore a mechanism for improving pay packages and making them more competitive. However, the two governments have not agreed on specific new salary rates or a revised minimum wage for Kenyan workers.
Worker welfare and recruitment protections
Meanwhile, Mutua raised concerns about the treatment, welfare and working conditions of Kenyans already employed in Saudi Arabia. The discussions followed reports documenting abuses affecting workers in the Kingdom.
An Amnesty International report published in May 2025 documented unpaid wages, excessive working hours and physical abuse. It also recorded restrictions on movement and cases of employers withholding workers’ passports.
Many women interviewed said recruitment agencies processed their travel documents without charging them. However, some reported paying between KSh7,000 and KSh45,000 in recruitment-related fees. One worker said an agency threatened to demand KSh300,000 if she withdrew after completing training.
The two sides also signed a technical annex to their July domestic worker recruitment agreement. Mutua said it aims to simplify hiring procedures, lower recruitment costs and strengthen contractual protections through integrated technical processes.
He added that the annex seeks to align recruitment and employment with approved regulations. It also aims to protect the rights of both domestic workers and employers.
