Germany has committed to opening its doors to 250,000 skilled and semi-skilled workers from Kenya through a targeted labor migration agreement.
Kenya is facing growing challenges in offering adequate job opportunities and income for its young professionals, while Germany is experiencing a shortage of skilled labor.
As part of a pilot project, five Kenyan bus drivers have already arrived in Flensburg, a northern city in Germany.
This migration deal is a key element of the German government’s strategy to manage immigration more effectively.
The agreement will also streamline the process for repatriating Kenyans who are residing in Germany without legal status.
Immigration has become a major issue in Germany, especially with the rise of the far-right anti-immigration party, Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Recent German governments have allowed significant numbers of asylum seekers to settle in the country, including over one million people fleeing conflict in Syria during the 2015-2016 migrant crisis and 1.2 million Ukrainians since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
The labor agreement was signed in Berlin by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President William Ruto of Kenya.
Germany has agreed to relax some of its immigration regulations to facilitate Kenyan employment in Europe’s largest economy.
Berlin authorities will also consider extending temporary residence permits for Kenyan workers who secure approved positions.
Additionally, Kenyans will be eligible for long-term visas to study or pursue vocational training in Germany.
“On the expiry of the long-stay visa, Kenyans may receive a temporary residence permit for study purposes in Germany for up to two years,” the agreement states.
The temporary residence permit may be extended if the purpose of residence has not yet been achieved but is achievable within a “reasonable” period, it adds.
Under the agreement, IT professionals from Kenya will be permitted to work in Germany even without formal qualifications.
Both governments will facilitate the immigration of skilled workers who have completed vocational training or hold a university degree, provided their qualifications are recognized by the appropriate authorities in each country.
The agreement also covers the readmission and repatriation of citizens between Kenya and Germany.
It outlines measures to prevent and combat labor exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking.
During the welcome ceremony for five Kenyan drivers in Flensburg on Thursday, Schleswig-Holstein’s Transport Minister Claus Ruhe Madsen emphasized Germany’s need for hardworking individuals and skilled minds.
“We simply have to position ourselves in Germany in such a way that it is attractive to come here,” Mr Madsen added.
The drivers represent the initial group of Kenyan workers participating in a pilot project with the Aktiv bus company, with the aim of securing employment in Germany.
The program is also anticipated to include professionals such as doctors, nurses, and teachers.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the agreement is expected to greatly enhance opportunities for Kenyan workers to find quality jobs in Germany while helping to alleviate labor shortages in the country.
“It includes mechanisms to protect the rights and welfare of Kenyan migrant workers in Germany, ensuring safe, orderly, and productive migration,” ILO added in a statement.
But there are concerns about a brain-drain in Kenya with professionals like doctors and nurses going abroad for jobs, leaving local hospitals with a huge shortage of medical workers.
“It is sad that we are going to service other countries at the expense of our own country,” Ekuru Aukot, a Kenyan lawyer and politician, told the BBC’s Newsday programme.
But Roseline Njogu, a senior foreign affairs official, said Kenya was simply responding to the global labour market demands.
“We have a youth bulge in Kenya and every year we have a million people joining the local labour market. It takes time and resources to create job opportunities at home,” she added.