Government reviewing guidelines on external labour recruitment
The ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development has said it has resumed the process of reviewing the guidelines to operationalise the new regulations on external labour recruitment licenses.
The review comes in the wake of concerns about companies charging Ugandans certain fees for some requirements, welfare of migrants abroad among others.
The permanent secretary in the ministry, Aggrey David Kibenge said in a statement that currently, the guidelines are in draft form and the same have been circulated to all stakeholders to have their input.
He said the ministry is committed to facilitating access to external employment that is safe, productive and economically rewarding with specific objectives of providing decent employment to youth, to protect Ugandan migrant workers abroad among others.
In December 2021, officials visited United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the aim of operationalising the MOU, which was signed in 2019 between Uganda and UAE.
Officials are also expected to visit Qatar to sign another MoU which was negotiated way back in 2017 as well as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to initiate discussions on the review of the MoU signed in 2017.
"Using resources from the non-tax revenues generated, we intend to deploy up to three labour attachés to reinforce our embassies in destination countries and ensure that our migrants are safe, more and better jobs are sourced, and those in distress are provided the necessary support they need," Kibenge said.
Government has to date licensed 216 private external labour recruitment companies and over 300,000 Ugandans have been formally externalised to work abroad since 2005.
