NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya has taken a crucial step toward significantly expanding job opportunities abroad following high-level discussions with a visiting delegation from the Provincial government of New Brunswick, Canada.
The meeting, held on Monday, November 10, 2025, in Nairobi, focused on cementing structured labour mobility cooperation between the two governments.
The Canadian team, led by Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Deputy Minister Daniel Mills and Immigration Assistant Deputy Minister Dany Couillard, held extensive deliberations with Kenyan officials on strengthening pathways for skilled Kenyan professionals and artisans.
Advancing global labour diplomacy
Principal Secretary for Labour and Skills Development, Shadrack Mwadime, who led the Kenyan delegation, hailed the engagement as a pivotal moment in advancing Kenya’s global labour diplomacy efforts.
The Kenyan delegation included Principal Secretaries from Medical Services, Public Health, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training, as well as the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Labour chairman, Ken Chonga.
PS Mwadime projected that the partnership will unlock employment opportunities for Kenyans across key sectors, including health, education, and construction.
“This meeting underscores Kenya’s commitment to secure decent and dignified employment for its people through well-structured, ethical, and mutually beneficial partnerships,” he said.
The discussions served as a follow-up to a mission PS Mwadime led to Canada in September, which sought to open the Canadian labour market to Kenya’s skilled workforce.
New Brunswick seeks skilled Kenyan talent
Deputy Minister Mills affirmed that Kenya is well-positioned to benefit from the job opportunities available in the Canadian province of New Brunswick.
He stressed that a government-to-government framework is key to ensuring future recruitment adheres to clear ethical guidelines.
“Canada is looking for skilled and disciplined labour, and Kenya’s youthful workforce presents a great opportunity for partnership,” he said.
The high-level talks also addressed critical components of the labour agreement, including:
- Enhancing skills development.
- Mutual recognition of professional qualifications.
- Improving welfare and protection mechanisms for migrant workers.
This collaboration is part of a wider government strategy to diversify Kenya’s labour export markets and ensure that Kenyans work abroad under safe, fair, and regulated conditions.
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The two teams are now set to hold further talks focused on developing a formal framework to govern the recruitment, deployment, and welfare of Kenyan workers heading to New Brunswick.
Separately, PS Mwadime confirmed that the Kenyan government is developing an incentive package, including tax benefits, to encourage Kenyans working abroad to invest their earnings back home.
“We desire to come up with packages for Kenyans as they work abroad by ensuring that we give tax holidays so that their investments yield the highest possible returns,” he said.
