Saudi Arabia Sets New Minimum Wage for Kenyans in 2026

Kenyan workers employed in Saudi Arabia are set to benefit from a significant shift in their employment terms following a new directive issued by the Saudi government.

The Kenyan Embassy has confirmed that, effective February 2026, all employers in the Kingdom shall pay a minimum monthly wage of SAR 1,000 (Ksh34,455) per worker, in what is considered a milestone in the ongoing labour reforms affecting migrant employees.

The Embassy clarified that the wage adjustment forms part of ongoing reforms by the Kingdom connected to recent changes in the Kafala system.

For decades, the Kafala framework has guided how Saudi Arabia manages migrant labour, in particular domestic and skilled workers from countries such as Kenya. The latest raft of reforms was drafted by officials to better protect workers and raise welfare standards.

In response, the Embassy urged Kenyan workers in Saudi Arabia to initiate internal discussions with their employers on how and when the new minimum wage would be implemented.

“The Embassy wishes to inform all Kenyan workers that, effective February 2026, the Government of Saudi Arabia will implement a minimum salary of SAR 1,000 per month for all workers. This is in line with ongoing labor reforms following changes to the Kafala system,” the statement read.

The Embassy further called on workers to utilize its official communication channels to report concerns, delays, or any employer-related challenges so that officials can intervene promptly. It reiterated its commitment to the protection and promotion of the rights, dignity, and welfare of Kenyan nationals living and working in the Kingdom, adding that it would monitor the roll-out of the new wage policy.

This development arrives at a time when the Kenyan government has intensified efforts to protect citizens working abroad. Just days earlier, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi revealed that Kenya has rescued and safely repatriated more than 500 citizens since 2022 after they endured inhumane treatment in foreign countries.

Speaking during the third quarterly media engagement on Wednesday, Mudavadi stressed that the government continues to confront rogue recruitment practices and unsafe working conditions.

“The government has to date rescued and repatriated more than 500 victims since 2022,” he said.

He disclosed that authorities have also cracked down on fraudulent recruitment agencies.

“Relevant government agencies have investigated and delisted close to 600 rogue foreign job agencies. This is not enough, and discussions are ongoing for a proposal to publicly list agencies that exploit the vulnerability of our people.”

Mudavadi attributed this to recent interventions, one being the successful repatriation of a Kenyan woman and her daughter from Qatar after they were exposed to distressing conditions. He said many Kenyan mothers who are working in Saudi Arabia with undocumented children face challenges.

The government has been conducting DNA tests to verify parentage through bilateral cooperation and the Mobile Consular Services initiative in order to fast-track documentation.

“We have conducted DNA tests and collected 707 samples to verify parentage. Positive matches have allowed us to process birth certificates and facilitate immediate repatriation for children and their mothers,” he explained.

He further noted the impact of the Joint Interdepartmental Working Group (JIWG), established in January 2025.

“Since inception, the deliberate efforts by the JIWG have resulted in the safe repatriation of 59 mothers and 73 children back to Kenya,” Mudavadi noted.

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