Kenya is now targeting to collect at least Sh700 billion from over four million Kenyans working abroad.
Speaking in Eldoret where he flagged off youth who had secured jobs abroad through the First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy owned by businessman David Lagat, Labor Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui said the government had achieved a lot in mainstreaming labor migrations.
He added that there was also a lack of legislation for private employment agencies leading to the existence of unprincipled recruitment organizations smuggling and trafficking in persons and child labour.
According to government data, at least four million Kenyans are working abroad.
The data ranks the country fourth in Africa after Egypt, Nigeria and Ghana.
In 2019, diaspora remittances surpassed agricultural produce as Kenya’s highest foreign exchange earner.
Chelugui said the government would deploy labour attachments in countries where Kenyans get jobs.
He further attributed that in bid to ensuring Kenyans are not underpaid and frustrated while working abroad.
Kenyans living overseas sent home Sh31.5 billion ($290.8) last month.
This as they shrugged off the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in source countries.