About 80 per cent of Kenyans living in the United Kingdom want to return home permanently, a government report says.
Interestingly, 74 per cent of Kenyans with British citizenship also want to come home permanently, it adds.
In fact, the report says, those with British citizenship “do not see it as an avenue for staying permanently in Britain but as a tool to continue going there temporarily after returning permanently to Kenya.”
Respondents cited securing jobs commensurate with their skills, high cost of living and the stress associated with living in the UK as major difficulties.
The study titled: “Harnessing the Development Potential of Kenyans Living in the UK”, was carried out in October last year to widen involvement of Kenyans living in the Diaspora in national development.
A government official on Monday said the study focused on the UK because it was the leading destination for a majority of Kenyans seeking greener pastures.
Tanzania, the United States, Uganda, Canada and Germany, in that order, are the other top destinations Kenyans flock to in search of fortune, better health and education for themselves and their children.
On Monday, a Labour Migration Unit was opened at the Ministry of Labour as a one-stop shop providing migration information.
The unit was set up with the support of the International Organisation for Migration because of the need to protect Kenyans travelling, working or living abroad.
Labour PS Beatrice Kituyi said in a speech read on her behalf at the opening that for the unit to be effective, job-seekers should register with employment bureaus for their information to be captured.
“Employers with vacant positions should also register, detailing nature of jobs, skills required and salary offered,” Ms Kituyi said.
The development comes at a time when cases are on the rise of job-seekers being conned out of their money by bogus employment agencies.
“This is happening because of lack of information,” she said, adding that all employment agencies will now be registered and vetted.
“They will also be required to make regular returns giving details of jobs they are offering, the employers they are recruiting for, location, terms of services and salaries attached to these jobs,” she said.
The Foreign Affairs ministry was receiving an average of 15 distress calls a day from Kenyans abroad concerning employment-related disputes.
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