DOHA, Qatar — Kenya and Qatar have agreed to operationalise a Qatari visa centre in Nairobi by early 2026, a move expected to streamline labour mobility and open up 13,000 new job opportunities for Kenyans in the Gulf state.
The agreement was reached following a meeting between President William Ruto and Qatar’s Minister for Labour, Ali bin Saeed bin Samikh Al Marri, on the sidelines of the United Nations Social Development Summit in Doha.
According to a statement released by President Ruto on Wednesday, November 5, the new visa centre will simplify the process of deploying Kenyan workers to Qatar, eliminate bureaucratic delays, and curb exploitation by rogue recruitment agencies.
“We are committed to expanding quality job opportunities for our young people through the Labour Mobility Programme, helping to equip them to acquire global experience and expertise that they ultimately bring back home to support Kenya’s development,” Ruto said.
The President added that the agreement builds on ongoing efforts to expand bilateral ties with Qatar, with labour relations and employment forming a central pillar of cooperation. The new deal will raise the number of Kenyan workers in Qatar to about 90,000, spanning skilled and semi-skilled roles.
Ruto emphasized that the visa centre will strengthen government oversight, ensure fair recruitment practices, and improve monitoring of Kenyan workers abroad. “Together with the nation of Qatar, we agreed to operationalise a Qatari Visa Centre in Nairobi in early 2026,” he added.
The initiative is part of Kenya’s broader Labour Mobility Programme, which aims to create dignified work opportunities abroad while enhancing domestic skills transfer and economic growth.
Since 2024, the Ministry of Labour has been running recruitment drives for positions in Qatar ranging from cleaners, drivers, and nurses to chefs, electricians, and welders, with government assurances of decent pay and working conditions.
Qatar’s Labour Minister reaffirmed his government’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Kenya, noting that the partnership will strengthen people-to-people ties and contribute to both nations’ development objectives.
The expansion of Kenya-Qatar labour relations reflects the Ruto administration’s push to leverage international partnerships for employment creation, foreign exchange earnings, and youth empowerment.
