Kenya has secured commitments for 293,600 job opportunities in Saudi Arabia following talks between Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua and Saudi government officials in Riyadh.
The opportunities, which cover several sectors including healthcare, education, construction, hospitality, transport and oil and gas, were pledged by employment agencies operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Mutua announced the development on Thursday, November 12, 2026, following a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister for Labour, Dr Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnain, at the Ministry of Labour offices in Riyadh.
The meeting was attended by Kenya’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Joseph Masila, and senior government officials from both countries.
The discussions focused on expanding employment opportunities for Kenyans, improving the welfare of those already working in Saudi Arabia and strengthening bilateral labour cooperation.
Mutua said the commitments marked a major milestone in the government’s Kazi Majuu programme, which seeks to increase access to employment opportunities abroad.
Following the meeting with Saudi officials, Mutua held discussions with recruitment and employment agencies operating in the country.
The companies subsequently signed commitments to provide 293,600 job opportunities for Kenyans in different occupations.
The available opportunities include positions for female and male drivers, caregivers, teachers, tutors, nurses, doctors, laboratory technicians and construction workers.
Other areas include heavy machinery operation, hospitality, catering, manufacturing, finance, domestic work, oil and gas, and other professional and technical fields.
The hospitality positions include chefs, waiters, housekeepers, cleaners, baristas and fast-food workers. Other opportunities cover factory workers, house helps and homestead cooks.
Mutua thanked the Saudi employment companies for expressing confidence in Kenya’s workforce and committing to work with the government to expand access to jobs.
Saudi Arabia recruits an average of 2.5 million new workers annually. Mutua said Kenya was seeking to increase its share of the labour market while ensuring citizens secure legitimate employment under fair and transparent conditions.
Another key issue discussed during the meeting was the reopening of Saudi Arabia’s labour market to Kenyan workers following restrictions imposed over reported Ebola cases in Kenya.
Mutua said the restrictions followed reports of Ebola cases after a traveller entered the country with the disease.
He explained that the case was promptly identified and isolated, adding that Kenya was now free of Ebola cases and had not recorded community transmission.
The Cabinet Secretary said the government was looking forward to the full restoration of access for Kenyan workers seeking employment in Saudi Arabia.
The two sides also discussed ways of improving the treatment, welfare and working conditions of Kenyans already employed in the Kingdom.
Mutua said they agreed on the need to strengthen training and qualification programmes to prepare Kenyan workers for their assignments, workplace expectations and cultural environment in Gulf countries.
The discussions also highlighted the need for better and more competitive remuneration packages for Kenyans working in Saudi Arabia.
During the visit, Kenya and Saudi Arabia signed a technical annex to their bilateral agreement on the recruitment of domestic workers, which was originally signed on July 5, 2026.
The new framework seeks to improve the recruitment process by reducing costs, streamlining procedures and introducing integrated technical systems.
It also aims to ensure that recruitment and employment arrangements comply with approved regulations while protecting the rights of both employers and domestic workers.
The agreement further seeks to strengthen contractual relationships, improve awareness of employment rights and obligations, enhance the quality of recruitment services and make the recruitment process more efficient.
Mutua said technical teams from both countries would work towards finalising the agreement within one month to create more opportunities for skilled Kenyan professionals in the Saudi labour market.
He welcomed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to developing a transparent and responsible recruitment system that protects workers while addressing employers’ legitimate interests.
Kenya and Saudi Arabia also signed a letter of intent providing for a three-month pilot programme on voluntary recruitment fees for domestic workers.
The arrangement will be based on competitive market costs and is intended to help Kenya remain competitive with neighbouring and other labour-sending countries.
Mutua called on interested Kenyan recruitment agencies to participate in the pilot, saying it would create opportunities for them to benefit from economies of scale, improve their competitiveness and secure a bigger share of the Saudi employment market.
He said the government would move quickly to implement the commitments reached during the Riyadh meetings.
“Our responsibility does not end with securing job opportunities. We must ensure that Kenyans are properly trained, adequately remunerated, treated with dignity and protected through enforceable contractual arrangements,” Mutua said.
The Cabinet Secretary added that the government would continue working with Saudi authorities and recruitment agencies to expand access to international employment while protecting the rights and welfare of Kenyan workers.
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