Minister: Uganda to export professional labourers soon

The Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Janat Mukwaya has said she envisions a time when Uganda will be exporting professionals like doctors and teachers instead of domestic workers like it is the case now.

She made the remarks during the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the ministry and the Uganda Association of External Recruitment Agencies.

The MoU aims at setting up a one stop centre for labour externalisation.

It is estimated that at least 500,000 professionals graduate annually.

Although their counterparts in the informal sector get jobs as domestic workers in the Middle East, these professionals often find themselves stuck with no job opportunities at home or abroad.

Mukwaya said this will soon come to an end.

She revealed that soon Uganda will export doctors, lawyers, teachers and not just maids as it is the case now.

Mukwaya said many graduates are already going abroad especially to the Middle East but for lower cadre jobs.

She unveiled government’s one stop centre for labour externalisation office in Kampala a move she said will cut down on the waiting period for Ugandans hoping to get jobs abroad.

The unemployment rate for young people in Uganda ages 15–24 is estimated to be 83% meaning only 2 out of every 10 youths are employed.

Data from the world bank reveals that remittances from labour export have increased rapidly in the last five years with India raking in $69billion per year, China $64billion, Philippines at $33billion and Mexico at $31billion.

Remittances to Uganda have increased from $ 1.6 billion (Sh4.6 trillion) in 2016, to $ 2 billion (Sh7 trillion) in 2017.