"I would like to come and live and work in Kenya, maybe even as an au pair, for example in voluntary work, is it possible?"
This is one of the questions that our readers ask us and which have come back into fashion, probably driven by this period of prolonged uncertainty and awareness that life in Italy is increasingly hard and unreal.
Well, we would like to give comfort and optimism to those who often approach this dream in good faith, corroborated perhaps by previous frequentations of this country and its places that inspire freedom, relaxation, and the desire to live in a more human dimension and perhaps even do good.
However, we must realistically warn those enthusiasts who have no idea how to approach a new life, even a working one, in this country and ask us for clarification.
There are those who have a small income, a minimum pension or something like that, and admit that it would also be enough for them to have board and lodging in the African country, where life seems lighter and within reach of their dreams.
Unfortunately, even a situation that might appear convenient both for those seeking employment and for those who might be interested in 'Western' help is not so simple.
In fact, to work in Kenya, at all levels, one needs a work permit, which is quite different from the normal tourist permit (which Kenya at this time accepts as a holiday stay for 3 months that can be extended by another 3, but Italy does not approve, prohibiting tourist travel to Africa). The work permit can be of different kinds: first of all, the entrepreneur's permit, which requires an investment of at least 80,000 euros and entitles the holder to obtain a residence and work visa valid for two years and renewable on condition that his company complies economically and fiscally with the conditions established at the time of formation. The permit costs about 2000 euros.
Then there is an employee's permit, which is increasingly difficult to obtain because firstly it costs 4000 euros, valid for two years, and secondly it must be a local company that hires the person, who must have important qualifications that cannot be fulfilled by a Kenyan. So professionals who can prove their competence and for this they will be hired.
It is therefore difficult to find a company that will take on the burden of paying a very expensive work permit to hire a professional who can at best be found, or grow, in the Kenyan context and with salaries that are much lower than what a European citizen could demand.
As far as the voluntary sector is concerned, here the permit (which must be applied for by a non-profit organisation or NGO) costs much less, but it is difficult to obtain, unless there are associations recognised in Kenya that have already been working there for some time. But in this case, it is the associations themselves that ask for professionals experienced in cooperation or voluntary work.
So for a 'newcomer' who dreams of moving to Kenya, the most logical path is to open his or her own business, or to present himself or herself with enough experience and professionalism to be able to find work and be hired with a regular permit. For everyone else, there is also the possibility of having a residence permit as a 'pensioner' or for those with a fixed income in Italy. This permit lasts three years and costs 3,000 euros, but you must prove an annual income of around 20,000 euros, by means of a bank guarantee or monthly transfers to a Kenyan bank account. And above all, it is a permit to reside in Kenya, not to work there.