Kenya Moves to Secure Better Salaries for Workers Seeking Jobs in Saudi Arabia

Kenyan professionals seeking employment in Saudi Arabia could soon benefit from improved recruitment arrangements and better pay following fresh negotiations between the two governments.

Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua announced that Kenya and Saudi Arabia are working towards finalising a new agreement targeting skilled Kenyan workers within the next month.

Mutua disclosed the development after meeting Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister for Labour, Dr Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnain, in Riyadh on Thursday, November 12.

The CS said technical teams from both countries would complete negotiations within 30 days to expand employment opportunities for Kenyan professionals in the Gulf nation.

The discussions come as Saudi recruitment agencies have committed to offering 293,600 job opportunities to Kenyans across various economic sectors.

The vacancies cover healthcare, education, construction, hospitality, transport, manufacturing, finance and domestic work, among other fields.

During the meeting, the Saudi government also agreed to explore ways of improving salary packages for Kenyan employees to make their earnings more competitive.

Mutua further raised concerns about the welfare and treatment of Kenyans already working in Saudi Arabia, particularly following reports of exploitation and poor working conditions.

An Amnesty International report published in May 2025 documented cases of Kenyan workers experiencing unpaid wages, excessive working hours, physical abuse, restricted movement and confiscation of passports.

The report also highlighted concerns over recruitment fees, with some workers reportedly paying between Ksh7,000 and Ksh45,000 to secure employment.

Separately, Kenya and Saudi Arabia signed a technical annex to their domestic worker recruitment agreement, initially reached in July.

The new arrangement seeks to simplify recruitment procedures, lower hiring costs and strengthen contractual protections for both employers and domestic workers.

According to Mutua, the agreement will also introduce improved technical processes to ensure recruitment and employment comply with approved regulations.

However, the two governments have yet to announce specific revised salary rates or a new minimum wage for Kenyan workers.

The proposed deal is expected to strengthen employment opportunities while addressing longstanding concerns about the protection and treatment of Kenyans working abroad.

https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/129343-kenya-saudi-arabia-sign-new-skilled-workers-deal-better-pay

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