The government has intensified its crackdown on fraudulent recruitment operations by deregistering 680 agencies found to be breaking labour laws.
The Ministry of Labour said investigations exposed widespread illegal activities by firms that had been charging desperate job seekers large sums of money for non-existent opportunities abroad.
According to Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, the action followed months of investigations triggered by complaints from victims who were swindled while seeking jobs overseas.
The ministry’s Multi-Agency Labour Mobility Taskforce has so far received more than 100 reports from 15 counties, showing that job seekers lost at least Sh17.3 million to fake recruiters.
Mutua said many of those affected had been promised lucrative jobs in countries such as Canada, Australia, Qatar, and Germany, only to discover the offers were scams.
“Most of the victims coming to us were promised well-paying jobs overseas, only to be left devastated, broke, and in some cases stranded without travel documents,” he said.
He added that those running illegal recruitment firms will be arrested and prosecuted, while others will face deregistration.
The government, he said, is determined to protect Kenyans from being lured into fraudulent job schemes and to ensure only legitimate agencies operate in the labour export market.
The ministry has also set up a central complaints and coordination centre to handle reports related to labour migration and improve monitoring of the recruitment process.
Investigations show that many illegal operators target young people eager to work abroad, often convincing them to pay high “processing” fees before disappearing without a trace.
The crackdown comes months after a viral video emerged in July showing youth from the Coast region demonstrating after falling victim to fake recruitment firms. Their plight renewed calls for tighter regulation of agencies recruiting Kenyans for work outside the country.
President William Ruto, while addressing Kenyans living in Doha, Qatar, said the deregistration of rogue recruiters is part of a wider plan to reform labour migration.
“The deregistration of rogue recruiters is part of broader reforms to protect our migrant workers. We are ensuring deployment only to countries with formal bilateral agreements that safeguard our workers while expanding access to dignified and well-paying opportunities abroad,” he said.
Mutua further warned Kenyans against using unregistered agents or travelling for work on tourist visas, urging them to verify every recruiter through the National Employment Authority (NEA).
Private recruitment associations have backed the move, saying it will restore order and credibility in the sector.
Mwalimu Mwaguzo, the national chairman of private recruiters, said several firms ignored renewal procedures but continued to operate illegally, putting job seekers at risk.
