KNBS: Most Kenyans Returning Home Do So After Overseas Contracts Expire

Most Kenyans who returned from abroad between June 2024 and May 2025 did so after their employment contracts ended or their jobs were terminated, according to a new survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).

The findings are contained in the 2025 Remittances Household Survey Report, released on 16 June. The report shows that 50,465 emigrants returned to Kenya during the period under review. Of these, 59.2 per cent, representing nearly 30,000 people, cited the expiry of employment contracts or job loss as the main reason for returning.

KNBS said that most returnees identified the end of employment arrangements as the primary factor behind their decision to come back to Kenya. Other employment-related reasons accounted for a smaller share of returns. Only 0.3 percent of returnees said they came back because of job transfers. 

The report also found that some returnees planned to pursue economic opportunities in Kenya. About 7.6 per cent intended to start businesses, while 4.9 percent returned in search of farming land. A further 2.2 percent came back to seek paid employment within the country.

Non-economic reasons represented a relatively small proportion of return migration. Returns linked to refugee or asylum status accounted for 0.6 percent of the total. Education, health and family-related reasons each made up less than 0.3 percent of recorded returns.

The report also noted that 24.6 percent of respondents selected the category of other or unspecified reasons, indicating that many migration experiences did not fit within the survey’s predefined classifications. The findings reflect the role of labour migration in providing employment opportunities abroad while also showing that many overseas jobs are based on fixed-term arrangements. 

The return of thousands of workers each year highlights the importance of supporting their transition back into the Kenyan economy. Many returnees are seeking opportunities in business and agriculture, sectors that could benefit from the skills, experience and savings acquired overseas.

Speaking during the launch of the report, KNBS official Benjamin Muchiri said it is important to understand return migration patterns and consider how the knowledge, resources and experience of returning migrants can contribute to national development.