By BRIAN NGUGI

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Kenya's Labour ministry has invited applications from jobless Kenyan nurses looking for a chance to work in the UK.

The ministry Monday asked willing applicants to register through a specialised portal https://www.neaims.go.ke/ and apply by August 27.

Kenya and the UK on July 29 signed a pact, which is expected to benefit unemployed surplus medics.

The agreement, which Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta signed in London, is part of a new scheme Kenya had requested.

“The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has been mandated to spearhead the implementation of the agreement in terms of recruitment and facilitating the migration of qualified candidates to the United Kingdom,” said the ministry in a public notice.

“The first batch of healthcare workers, targeted for the recruitment under the agreement, are nurses. The Ministry of Labour, therefore, invites interested and eligible candidates to register for consideration of the programme.”

The recruitment exercise is being carried out in collaboration with Kenya's Ministry of Health.

The deal will see unemployed medical workers from Kenya serve in the UK’s National Health Service before returning to Kenya.

It comes as good news for the more than 30,000 jobless Kenyan nurses and healthcare workers grappling with unemployment.

Britain says 894 Kenyan nurses are working in its public healthcare system — the National Health Service.

“Our healthcare agreement will make the most of UK and Kenyan health expertise, which will be beneficial to both countries, with the exchange of knowledge and training which will provide first-class healthcare,” said British Secretary of State for Health, Sajid Javid during the unveiling of the deal.

The agreement came a few weeks after the UK allowed highly skilled Kenyans without degree-level qualifications to apply for work permits in Britain under post-Brexit immigration rules, enabling them to compete with jobseekers from the European Union and other regions.