Nairobi, Kenya, Sept 18 -- Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has announced a new policy requiring Kenyans seeking employment abroad to obtain a letter from the Ministry before departing.

This move is part of broader reforms aimed at enhancing accountability within recruitment agencies.

Speaking before the Senate plenary, Mutua emphasized that this requirement, implemented through the National Employment Agency, would ensure that all Kenyans heading overseas for work are properly documented.

"We are now requiring that any Kenyans hired through any agency have to get a letter from the ministry which clears them. This information will help us to know who is leaving the country and where they are going," he stated.

The new system will also be linked with Kenyan missions abroad to help the government monitor the whereabouts and welfare of its citizens employed overseas.

The policy is part of efforts to regulate the increasing labor migration through travel agencies.

Mutua's comments come amid rising concerns over labor agreements signed between Kenya and other nations, which have resulted in a surge of Kenyans migrating for work opportunities.

Last week, President William Ruto signed a bilateral labor agreement with Germany to allow skilled and semi-skilled Kenyan workers into the European country under a controlled labor migration framework.

While the deal does not specify the number of workers to be admitted, it is expected to provide significant job opportunities for Kenyans.

The Gulf region has also remained a popular destination for Kenyan migrant workers, drawn by lucrative employment prospects.