KENYA – Foreign Employees Must Have Work Authorization to Enter Country
Kenya’s new Security Laws (Amendment) Act went into effect on December 22nd, 2014. The new act requires that foreign nationals apply for and obtain work authorization from the Department of Immigration Services prior to entering Kenya. After the application for work authorization has been approved, the foreign national may apply to obtain a visitor or business visa at the airport upon entry in Kenya. This law is expected to also apply to special, student, intern, dependent, and researcher passes as well. The new security measures imposed on certain foreign nationals also include registration and tracking requirements. Any foreign nationals over the age of 18 who are staying in Kenya for a continuous period of at least three months are subject to these new registration requirements. This means that the foreign national must register to obtain a foreigner’s certificate with the Department of Immigration Services and then be sure to notify the authorities of any travel or address changes. Businesses who provide accommodations to foreign nationals are expected to document this and submit reports to the Department of Immigration on a weekly basis. Lastly, another change affects the structuring of the committee that approves work permits.