Nairobi -In a move expected to boost overseas job opportunities for Kenyan workers, the government of Kenya has signed a new agreement that will open doors to employment across the UK’s Crown Dependencies—Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
The deal, inked during an official ceremony in Jersey on Monday, is a partnership between the Kenyan government and Channel Islands-based recruitment firm GR8. It aims to help fill persistent staffing gaps in sectors like hospitality, health care, construction, childcare and education.
Roseline Njogu, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Diaspora Affairs, led the delegation and signed the memorandum of understanding on behalf of Nairobi. Speaking after the signing, she said the agreement offered a structured path for skilled Kenyan workers to find decent jobs abroad.
“We are inviting good employers to come and recruit from Kenya,” Njogu said. “Our country has an abundance of trained talent in healthcare, IT, education, engineering and more.”
GR8, which has been working with Kenyan partners since 2019, said the new agreement formally positions it as a strategic recruitment partner for Kenyan workers across the Crown Dependencies.
Lee Madden, GR8’s chief executive, said his firm had already recruited hundreds of Kenyan workers in recent years, mostly in hospitality and care roles.
“This deal gives us the mandate to speak on behalf of the Kenyan government in recruiting talent for these islands,” Madden said. “Kenyan hospitality staff, in particular, have been instrumental in easing the labour crisis that hit three or four years ago.”
Filling the Gaps Left by Brexit
The Channel Islands, like much of the UK, have struggled with chronic labour shortages following Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. With fewer European workers arriving, employers across sectors have faced growing challenges in recruitment.
This agreement comes as part of broader efforts by local governments in Jersey and Guernsey to attract skilled workers from beyond Europe. Officials hope the partnership with Kenya will provide a reliable, long-term pipeline of trained employees.
“This is about strengthening links with a country that has a highly skilled workforce and a growing diaspora,” said Kirsten Morel, Jersey’s Minister for Sustainable Economic Development. “We want Jersey to remain an attractive and welcoming place for overseas workers.”
Wider Engagement
The Kenyan delegation is on a week-long official visit to Jersey, with meetings planned with top island officials including External Relations Minister Ian Gorst. They’ll also hold talks with business groups such as the Jersey Chamber of Commerce and the Jersey Construction Council.
The visit underscores Kenya’s growing push to expand diaspora employment opportunities. As of 2023, remittances from Kenyans abroad were one of the country’s leading sources of foreign exchange, surpassing even some export sectors.
For many workers, jobs in the Crown Dependencies offer the promise of stable work, fair pay and opportunities for professional growth.
“We’re not just sending workers abroad,” Njogu said. “We’re building partnerships that benefit both our people and the economies they join.”
While some critics in Kenya warn of the risks of a growing brain drain, the government insists that carefully managed labour mobility will lift both individual livelihoods and national prosperity.
And for businesses in Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man still grappling with staff shortages, the message from Kenya is clear: help is on the way.
