Kenya moves to flush out illegal foreign workers
Saturday May 26 2018
Kenyan immigration authorities this past week began fresh registration and issuance of work permits to foreigners to weed out illegal foreign workers.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said illegal workers cost the economy millions of dollars in unpaid taxes and deportation costs every year.
As at Wednesday, 13 people with fake work permits had been nabbed in the 60-day registration drive that began on Monday.
“If we have nabbed 13 people by the third day, there are indeed many people with illegal work permits in this country,” Dr Matiang’i said.
At the launch of the registration, the minister said there were more than 100,000 foreign workers in Kenya, way more than the 34,000 foreigners registered with the Foreign Ministry.
Expatriates are required to verify their details at the Directorate of Immigration using a valid work permit, an official endorsement on the passport, an alien ID and a Kenya Revenue Authority Personal Identification Number.
The ministry is also preparing to issue foreigners with foolproof electronic cards as work permits to reduce the paperwork and to improve efficiency.
“The country loses a lot due to unpaid taxes, job opportunities going to illegal foreigners at the expense of citizens, terrorists capitalising on this loophole to carry out their atrocious activities in the country, and expenses incurred in deportation,” Dr Matiang'i said.
He said the government spends up to $3.6 million every year to deport illegal foreign workers.
According to Dr Matiang'i the majority of the foreign workers in the country are doing jobs that can be done by Kenyans thus worsening the country’s unemployment situation, which is estimated to be at about 40 per cent.
Expatriates now have to update their details with the department of Immigration, after which a swoop would be carried out to flush out those who are working in the country illegally.
“After the 60 days, if you do not have the legal work documents you will be arrested and locked up. From there, you will have to find your own means of coming up with the amount needed to get back to your country,” Dr Matiang'i warned.
According to statistics by the Immigration Department, 8,366 new work permits were issued to foreigners in 2017, a slight increase from the 5,851 permits given in 2016.