Kenyans’ Top Destinations are Gulf Countries

Kenyans’ Top Destinations are Gulf Countries

Kenyans’ Top Destinations are Gulf Countries

The top destinations for African and Kenyan migrants seeking better opportunities have been identified by the World Migration Report 2024.

The report cites violence, unemployment, and climate change as some of the reasons Kenyans are emigrating.

According to the report, the most popular location for Kenyans seeking international employment was the Gulf region. Kenyans are fortunate to have employment opportunities in the retail, hospitality, security, and construction industries.

As a result, the Gulf countries have surpassed the US and the UK, which were previously tied for the title of the top destination for Africans and Kenyans.

Additionally, the Gulf is close to Africa making it easier for migrants to gain access. The cost of travelling is also lower compared to travelling to countries in the west.

“The Gulf’s proximity, coupled with the increasing difficulty of gaining entry to previously traditional destination countries (for example, the United Kingdom and the United States), have made GCC States attractive labour migration options,” reads part of the report.

The ease of entry into some countries is one of the many reasons behind this migration eastward. Travel may be slowed down or made more difficult by the differing entry requirements of some Western nations.

The proliferation of recruitment agencies in Kenya and other East African nations, which enable more Kenyans to travel, is another factor contributing to the country’s extreme migration.

Additionally, the Kenyan government has a number of bilateral labor agreements with several Gulf nations, which establish rules governing Kenyan employment in those nations.

“Regular and irregular labour migration from Eastern Africa to the Gulf are both prevalent and have increased over time, making the eastern corridor one of the busiest maritime migration routes in the world,” states part of the report.

As more Kenyans go to the Gulf region, the country gets more remittances amounting to billions. Data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) indicate that Saudi Arabia is among the top three sources of remittances to Kenya.

Between January and August 2023, Kenyans in Saudi Arabia sent back Ksh32.3 billion (USD246 million) compared to Ksh203.8 billion (USD1.55 billion) from the US and Ksh30 billion (USD228.6 million) from the UK.

In January, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in Saudi Arabia cut the hiring for Kenyan domestic workers from 462,302 (SR10,870) to Ksh382,700 (SR9,000). This further entices more Kenyans to travel, seeking employment in the country.

It is important to note, though, that Kenyans residing in the Gulf region have reported experiencing a variety of abuses, such as physical and sexual assault, denial of privacy, coercive and abusive work practices, and misleading, unjust, and dangerous working conditions.

The government has taken new steps to protect Kenyans who work overseas, particularly in Saudi Arabia, in response to these complaints.

According to the report, a significant number of citizens from Ethiopia and Uganda are also visiting the region.

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