Kenya is repositioning labour migration from a source of concern into a strategic pillar of economic growth, with senior officials and international partners calling for better management, safeguards, and awareness.

Labour and Skills Development Principal Secretary Shadrack Mwadime described migration as an inevitable process that, if well-structured, can transform livelihoods while strengthening Kenya’s economy.

He urged Kenyans to see the country’s youthful population,75 percent of whom are under 35.not as a liability but as an asset for global competitiveness.

“Our young people abroad are frontline economic soldiers, acquiring skills, capital, and networks that Kenya urgently needs,” he said, noting that diaspora remittances hit Sh 600 billion in 2024, accounting for nearly 5 percent of GDP.

The PS added that structured policies could  unlock even greater inflows since migrants remit just 5 percent of their savings.

Mwadime dismissed fears of brain drain, pointing to global examples where returning migrants contributed to skills transfer and industrial growth.

Countries such as South Korea and the Philippines, he said, turned outward migration into an asset by reintegrating returnees and leveraging their global networks.

“When our professionals return, they come back with knowledge, technology, and exposure that can help build industries here at home,” he remarked.

To make this vision a reality, the government is expanding bilateral labour agreements with Germany, Austria, the UK, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, while pursuing negotiations with Canada and several U.S. states.

Plans are also underway for circular migration programmes that allow Kenyan professionals to work abroad for three to five years before returning with savings and skills.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) backed Kenya’s new approach, emphasizing that migration is both a national priority and a global commitment.

ILO representative highlighted international frameworks such as the sustainable Development Goal (SDG target 8.8),which calls for protecting labour rights and safe working environments, and SDG target 10.7,which stresses safe, orderly, and responsible migration.

“These are global commitments Kenya has signed onto. We must prioritize regular migration while discouraging irregular routes that expose workers to exploitation,” the ILO official said.

She warned that abuse often begins even before departure, with workers burdened by exploitative recruitment fees that plunge them into debt before they receive their first paycheck.

The ILO further cited the Global Compact for migration,the African Union’s Agenda 2063,and regional agreements under the East African Community and IGAD as frameworks that should guide Kenya’s policies.

A key gap, the official noted, is lack of awareneson th ex right procedures to get jobs outside Kenya.

“Many migrants assume that purchasing a ticket is sufficient, when in fact legal migration requires documentation and approvals from both origin and destination countries,”she said.

Both officials stressed on the need of positive reporting by the ex media on the successful stories of those who migrate to other countries and manage to invest back home.

“Migration is not about losing people. It is about building a global Kenyan workforce that drives remittances, skills transfer, and investment. With proper safeguards, we can turn migration into a pillar of our economic transformation,” Mwadime said.

He noted that the interventions signals a major policy shift, reframing labour migration from a humanitarian challenge into a structured development tool tied to foreign policy, remittances, and industrial growth.