In a significant move to strengthen Kenya’s labour migration framework, the National Assembly has approved Sessional Paper No. 5 of 2023 on the National Policy on Labour Migration.

This approval, referenced in a National Assembly-related update dated December 3, 2025, is set to promote inclusive and sustainable development through safe, orderly, and productive labour migration.

“The National Assembly has approved the Sessional Paper No. 5 of 2023 on the National Policy on Labour Migration,” as highlighted in recent parliamentary proceedings.

The policy aims to foster structured and beneficial migration for Kenyan workers, promoting inclusive and sustainable development through safe, orderly, and productive labour migration.

Policy objectives and implementation

To achieve its goals, the policy outlines several specific objectives. The specific objectives of the Policy include:

• To enhance coordination of labour migration governance in Kenya
• To enhance transparency and flexibility in labour migration
• To promote foreign employment
• To protect the human and labour rights and promote the welfare of Kenyan migrant workers
• To maximize participation of Kenya migrant workers in the economic development
• To promote equal treatment of foreigners migrant workers in Kenya who are lawfully engaged in employment
• To provide a framework for the collection, analysis and use of data and information on labour migration and labour migrants.

The Committee on Labour, in its Report on the Sessional Paper, emphasized the broader benefits of labour migration, noting that it “can spur social and economic growth in the country. It provides employment opportunities to migrant workers, promotes the transfer of technology, and enhances foreign exchange earnings through diaspora remittances.”

The Committee further highlighted governance mechanisms, stressing that Bilateral Labour Agreements (BLAs) are key tools that “help to promote and protect the rights of migrant workers.”

International cooperation

International frameworks and protocols on labour migration also play a crucial role, regulating migration by “combating human trafficking and protecting migrant workers’ rights, including fair recruitment, decent working conditions, and access to social services.” They facilitate cooperation between countries and promote fair recruitment practices by governments and organisations.

Members of Parliament underscored the importance of strengthening ties with destination countries, noting the need for negotiation and signing of Bilateral Labour Agreements with nations that have ratified and domesticated conventions and protocols on labour migration.