Lack of domestic job opportunities and unfavorable socio-economic conditions are prompting Kenyan learners to pursue higher education and postgraduate studies at foreign universities, as these paths often offer guaranteed job placements during and after graduation.

This push, according to Educare International, a local student recruitment agency, is being amplified by issues like skills mismatches between local curricula and industry needs, as well as the economic reality in a fast-changing labour market struggling to absorb too many graduates scrambling for the few available quality jobs in the local market.

As a result, many learners now see studying abroad as a definite route to a better career and improved global employability.

County Director of Educare International, Omar Mohamed, notes that a higher quality of education, as well as the flexibility of earning better wages while studying, is also luring students to overseas universities.

“We are seeing a remarkable shift now as more students are opting to study abroad to stand a better chance of landing their dream careers,” remarked Omar.

It is an observation also made by Jason Ng, an international recruitment officer at the University of Lethbridge, a research university located in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, noting that inquiries in courses like engineering, business, computer science, law, and environmental studies are quite common among Kenyans.

A quick online search shows that the graduate employment rate at Lethbridge is set at 94.8%, with the University having a successful network of more than 53,000 Alumni worldwide.

With an estimated 3.5 million Kenyan youth are believed to be jobless and not in school, according to figures by the Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), John Mutwiri, an education consultant with Murdoch University in Australia, says that the desire to gain a competitive edge in the global job market and acquire cutting – edge skills is also a key driver for most Kenyan students seeking overseas studies.

“I’m finding more students making course inquiries in Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, and autonomous systems, which are not popular in most African universities, but are quite popular in Murdoch University, for instance,” said Muwiti.

Indeed, official statistics from the KNBS show formal job creation fell to 75,500 in 2024, down sharply from 123,000 in 2023, prompting the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) to raise serious concerns about Kenya’s deteriorating investment environment, warning that rising operational costs, shifting policies, and declining investor confidence are threatening the country’s economic future.

Kenya’s job market has been shrinking due to high inflation and operational costs, making it difficult for businesses to expand or even remain profitable. High taxes further burden companies, while an economic downturn has led to business closures and downsizing, as seen with mass layoffs in prominent sectors.

Additionally, a combination of high energy costs, eroded consumer purchasing power, and a challenging investment climate with declining investor confidence contributes to fewer job opportunities.