KAMPALA, Uganda: The Government of Uganda has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Ugandans seeking employment abroad by strengthening systems for safe, legal, and dignified labour migration, amid rising numbers of young people entering the job market with limited domestic opportunities.
Speaking at the launch of the Safe Labour Migration Awareness Campaign under the theme “Travel Safe. Stay Safe.”, the Minister of State for Labour, Employment, and Industrial Relations, Hon. Esther Anyakun Davinia (MP), said labour migration remains a lifeline for many families but warned that it carries serious risks when undertaken outside government-regulated systems.
“Every day, many of our sons and daughters make the difficult decision to leave their homes in search of employment opportunities beyond our borders. While labour migration can open doors to opportunity, it can also expose our people to serious risks when undertaken without accurate information, proper guidance, and the protection of Government systems,” Hon. Anyakun said.
Uganda continues to add between 600,000 and 700,000 people to its labour force each year, over 95 per cent of them youth. With local job creation unable to keep pace, the Government in 2005 introduced the Externalisation of Labour Programme to create safe and formal pathways for Ugandans to work abroad while easing unemployment pressures at home.
The programme, regulated under the Employment Act and the Employment (Recruitment of Ugandan Migrant Workers) Regulations, 2021, allows Ugandans to work abroad either through licensed recruitment companies or through individual initiative. To date, 246 recruitment companies have been licensed to formally place Ugandans in jobs abroad, mainly in Middle Eastern countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq.
Stronger safeguards for migrant workers
In recent years, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has intensified measures to ensure labour migration is safe, orderly, and humane. A key requirement before any migrant worker is cleared to travel is the signing of a government-approved employment contract that guarantees minimum protections. These include assured wages and overtime pay, free emergency medical care, just cause for termination, workers’ compensation and war hazard protection, facilitation of salary remittances, and repatriation arrangements in the event of death.
Beyond contracts, the Ministry has rolled out a multi-layered monitoring and protection framework to safeguard Ugandans once they leave the country. Recruitment agencies are rigorously licensed and vetted, while Ugandan Embassies abroad collect data on employers and workers to support monitoring and compliance.
Mandatory pre-departure orientation and training programmes equip workers with critical information on their rights, obligations, and life in destination countries. For domestic workers, this training lasts 14 days and is compulsory.
To ensure accountability across borders, the Government enforces four-party employment contracts, making recruitment companies jointly liable with foreign employers. Regular Quarterly Joint Technical Committee meetings track emerging issues in labour migration, while a dedicated Migrant Worker Resource Centre at the Ministry raises awareness on safe migration, dangers of irregular migration, and reintegration support for returnees.
Technology has also been harnessed to protect migrant workers. A call centre and complaints management system enables workers and their families to report abuse, exploitation, or contract violations. Complaints can be lodged through the EEMIS online platform, the Sauti 116 Migrant Help Line App, or via a dedicated telephone line, with all cases followed up in collaboration with embassies and recruitment agencies.
Warning against illegal recruiters
The Ministry cautioned Ugandans against falling prey to illegal recruiters, travel companies, and individual agents, noting that only licensed companies are authorised to recruit workers for jobs abroad. Ugandans are urged to verify licensed companies and approved job orders through the Ministry’s Employment Externalisation Information Management System (EEMIS) or district labour offices.
Prospective migrant workers are also advised to travel only on employment visas, sign contracts clearly stating job roles and salaries, keep payment receipts, and avoid paying for domestic worker jobs, which are not supposed to attract recruitment fees.
Benefits worth protecting
When properly managed, labour externalisation has delivered tangible benefits. Between 2016 and 2024, the programme created an estimated 280,000 jobs, with wages of UGX 900,000 and above, and generated about USD 1.3 billion in remittances last year. Migrant workers return with new skills, boost household incomes, and contribute to national revenue through licensing and job attestation fees.
However, Government officials stress that these gains can only be sustained if illegal recruitment, misinformation, and unsafe migration practices are decisively addressed.
Shared responsibility
Hon. Anyakun called on the media, communities, and families to play an active role in promoting safe labour migration.
“Achieving safe, orderly, and decent labour migration is a shared responsibility. Migrant workers come from our families and communities, and their safety and dignity must therefore concern all of us,” she said, urging Ugandans to verify recruitment information and use only approved channels.
As the Safe Labour Migration Awareness Campaign rolls out nationwide, Government says it remains fully committed to strengthening protection systems, combating human trafficking, and ensuring that every Ugandan who chooses to work abroad does so safely, legally, and with dignity.
