The National Treasury has cautioned that the increased movement of skilled youths abroad poses a serious human resource problem to Kenya in terms of planning and development.

Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi said the majority of the migrants are young people aged 20 to 24 seeking jobs and education opportunities.

Mbadi emphasised that the concern among youthful migrants is if the government will safeguard their individual rights and to protect those searching for jobs from exploitation and mistreatment.

“The relationship between migration and development is gaining recognition and there is need to explore further how the benefits of migration can be maximised, while minimising negative effects,” Mbadi said.

CS Mbadi, who spoke during the three-day Population and Development Conference that ends today, noted the demographic landscape has evolved over the past 50 years, presenting countries with varying opportunities and challenges.

“Developed countries are experiencing population ageing and shrinking working-age populations due to low fertility, while developing countries are faced with youth bulge and unemployment challenges arising from rapid population growth. Adjusting population and development policies is therefore increasingly becoming necessary to address these demographic shifts,” CS Mbadi stated.

As of December 2024, the government has airlifted over 200,000 youth to work abroad, majorly in the Middle East and Europe, in the healthcare, construction and agriculture sectors.

Relevant legislation

Currently, Kenya has constituted a total of five legislations and two policies to address issues related to migration.

They include Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act 2011 (Amendment Bill 2023), Kenya National Migration Policy, Global Compact for Migration (GCM) Implementation Plan, Kenya Refugee Act (2006), Children’s Act 2022, Kenya’s Diaspora Policy 2014, Counter trafficking in Persons Act 2010 (Revised 2012) and the National Policy on Labour Migration (2023).

The government has been insisting that the youth should only apply for jobs posted on the National Employment Authority Integrated Management System (NEA-IMS) that also shows registered recruitment agencies operating in Kenya to avoid falling victim to unscrupulous agencies.

Victims of fraudulent migration agencies reported that they issue them with visitor visas for destination countries with a promise that the document can be converted to work permits to help them secure jobs upon arrival.

Consequently, a lot of money is wasted as the victims get stranded in the city streets of foreign countries without employment and shelter.

The Ministry of Labour has actively been conducting recruitment exercises in major towns across for the youth eyeing to secure job opportunities, especially in the Gulf countries.

As part of the Kenya Kwanza government scheme to address unemployment among the youth, Kenya hopes to send one million workers abroad annually to create employment opportunities through labour mobility.