Almost a year after the changes in costs and modalities for work permits in Kenya, the government has introduced new changes and obligations, adjustments in prices and modalities for work permits of different kinds for foreigners who decide to reside and provide various services in Kenya.
The most important changes, concerns the introduction of the new work permit for those working in NGOs, inter-governmental organisations of any kind, including diplomatic missions and those affiliated to the UN.
As soon as the new rules are published in the Official Gazette, the compulsory ‘PT’ permit, which will cost 130 thousand shillings a year, with a processing fee of Kes. 26 thousand, will be effective.
The announcement was made by the First Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, who justified the new type of permit as a just distinction that aims ‘to strengthen the current work permit regulations, promoting national interests through improved digital jobs, smooth regional integration, equity and increased foreign trade for the Government, while ensuring that Kenya remains an attractive international and financial hub.’
The permit will be paid in US dollars, Kenya being a ‘diplomatic hub’ where workers are mostly paid in foreign currency, so it will be a chance to bring in foreign currency directly.
The change follows three months after another innovation, that of the ‘N’ permit for digital workers, i.e. ‘smart workers’ who want to reside in Kenya while holding jobs abroad. For this kind of worker, who can be app developers and programmers, designers, writers, bloggers or others, it will be enough to declare an annual remuneration of at least 24 thousand dollars and a permit will be issued that costs Kes. 120 thousand per year, with no need to open companies and pay taxes. This is also good news for citizens of the East African community, who will no longer have to pay for residence permits to reside in Kenya.
Finally, a new category of permit, ‘Q’, has been added, which is intended for religious or lay missionaries working with charity or solidarity organisations related to their cults.
For them, the residence permit will cost Kes. 20,000 per year.