Kenya Announces 300 Opportunities for Female Healthcare Professionals in Saudi Arabia

Kenya has launched its third recruitment initiative for the year, seeking to deploy 300 specialist female nurses to public health facilities in Saudi Arabia.

This drive, which targets nurses aged 44 and younger, is scheduled to run until January 3, 2025, as stated by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection. Candidates must hold either a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or a Diploma in Nursing-midwifery from an accredited institution and must be registered with the Nursing Council of Kenya to qualify for the positions.

Those selected will be offered one-year renewable contracts, with monthly salaries ranging from Sh180,000 to Sh296,000, commensurate with their qualifications and experience. Nurses will be required to work eight-hour shifts daily and will receive an annual vacation along with a round-trip economy class ticket. Compensation for overtime work will align with the labour laws of Saudi Arabia.

Applications are being accepted through the recruitment platform of the Ministry of Health Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or the National Employment Authority job portal. This initiative follows two previous recruitment drives conducted in January and July of this year, where the Ministry invited applications for a total of 2,500 nursing positions in the Saudi health sector.

The recruitment process is being managed by Fast Reliable Enterprises and Nasmama Services Ltd, which were selected following a competitive evaluation procedure. Kenyan officials have assured that this recent recruitment effort will not lead to a nursing shortage in Kenya, citing an oversupply of nursing professionals in the country.

During the Jamhuri Day celebrations, President William Ruto noted that since September 2022, over 243,000 Kenyans have found employment abroad in various sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, and construction. The government has established agreements with 13 countries and aims to facilitate the export of up to 2 million Kenyan workers globally.

"This recruitment initiative reflects our targeted efforts to enhance job opportunities and address unemployment among Kenyan citizens through international partnerships," President Ruto stated.