Kenyans preparing to take up jobs abroad could be required to undergo specialised pre-departure training under a proposed law seeking to overhaul the country's industrial training system and strengthen the way workers' skills are assessed and certified.
The National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) presented the proposals to the National Assembly's Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers Committee during discussions on the proposed Industrial Training Bill, 2026.
The engagement focused on how Kenya can better prepare citizens for employment in foreign countries while ensuring workers have the skills and knowledge needed to operate safely and effectively in different labour markets.
The committee, chaired by the Taita Taveta County MP, held the discussions with NITA officials led by Managing Director Rukia Atikiya.
Rukia told lawmakers that the proposed legislation would replace the Industrial Training Act of 1959, which has undergone several amendments over the years.
The new Bill seeks to create a wider legal framework covering industrial training, skills development, assessment, certification, quality assurance and management of the training levy.
A key part of the proposed law is the introduction of structured programmes for migrant workers before they leave Kenya for employment abroad.
Under the plan, workers would receive training based on the type of work they are expected to perform as well as the conditions and risks they may face in their destination countries.
The programmes would cover job-specific skills, workers' rights, employment laws in destination countries, working conditions and workplace safety.
Workers would also receive training in financial literacy and psychosocial preparedness to help them deal with the challenges associated with working in foreign countries.
The proposed approach would change the current model by giving migrant workers more preparation before departure, particularly on the legal, financial and workplace issues they may encounter after securing employment abroad.
NITA or registered and accredited training providers would be responsible for delivering the pre-departure programmes.
Those who complete the training successfully would receive certificates, with their details also captured in a national register.
The proposed system would further give NITA a role in coordinating skills verification for labour migration in collaboration with other relevant government agencies.
This would create a formal process for checking whether a worker has the skills needed for a specific job before leaving the country.
The Bill also proposes changes to the way skills gained through work experience are recognised.
Through Recognition of Prior Learning, workers with practical experience would be allowed to have their skills assessed and certified without having to repeat training in areas where they already have the required competence.
The provision would also offer a route to certification for experienced workers whose practical skills were gained through employment but who may not have formal qualifications.
NITA has also proposed safeguards to improve the credibility of skills assessment and certification.
These include publishing assessment standards, accrediting assessment centres, carrying out independent verification, maintaining digital records and creating channels through which candidates can challenge assessment decisions.
The proposed changes would therefore extend beyond migrant workers and affect the wider industrial training system, including how skills are assessed, certified and recognised.
NITA is consulting the Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers Committee as part of the process before the proposed legislation is considered by the Authority's Board and moved through the relevant government procedures.
The Authority also asked lawmakers for their views on the proposed policy direction, particularly provisions dealing with migrant workers, pre-departure training programmes and the fees linked to those programmes.
The consultations come as labour migration continues to provide Kenyans with opportunities to seek employment outside the country, making the verification of workers' skills and preparation for foreign workplaces an important part of the proposed framework.
If adopted, the Bill would replace an industrial training law that dates back more than six decades with a broader system covering training, skills assessment, certification, quality assurance and preparation of Kenyans seeking employment in foreign countries.