Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has introduced a revised registration system for employment agencies as a component of labour immigration reforms.
In a statement issued on Thursday, September 19, Mutua revealed that newly registered agencies will be granted an initial certificate valid for one year, with a fee of Ksh 500,000.
For agencies already in operation, the renewal period will be extended to two years, with a renewal fee of Ksh 500,000 for the entire duration or Ksh 250,000 for a one-year renewal option.
The Cabinet Secretary announced that these new regulations will come into effect on September 23, 2024.
“These changes, which take effect on September 23, will streamline the licensing process and ensure that agencies are fully compliant with the law. The National Employment Authority (NEA) has now staffed its compliance section to enforce these new regulations,” he remarked.
Mutua stated that the government is dedicated to addressing the issues posed by unscrupulous agencies and is collaborating with financial institutions to provide funding to these agencies.
“We are also committed to addressing the issue of rogue agencies, with several currently under investigation by the DCI. In addition, we are working with banks to offer financing to agencies so they no longer need to burden job seekers,” he added.
Concurrently, the CS declared the implementation of reforms to the pre-departure training and orientation programs.
“Homecare management training will now be integrated with pre-departure training, reducing the total training period from 26 days to 14 days. For other skilled migrant workers, pre-departure training will now be reduced to 2 days, making the process more efficient,” he explained.
Mutua indicated that the evaluation framework for the programs will be conducted on a 100-point scale, with the minimum passing score established at 60 percent.
“The assessment system for these programs will be evaluated on a 100-point scale, with 65% for practicals by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), 25% for continuous assessment, and 10% for pre-departure theory, with a pass mark of 60%. The revised guidelines will be distributed by NITA to all trainers by November 1,” he added.
Mutua asserted that domestic workers who have successfully finished contracts in the Gulf will not be subject to the training requirements.
Furthermore, he announced that the government is in the process of constructing a model house in Mombasa to adequately prepare domestic workers for their employment.
“We are also developing a model house in Mombasa and later Nairobi that replicates an Arabic home, ensuring our domestic workers are well-prepared for employment in countries like Saudi Arabia etc. The cost ceiling for homecare and pre-departure training will be capped at Ksh14,000, keeping training affordable for all,” he stated.
