eTA

Kenya

কেনিয়া

Important Notice

This content is AI-generated and under editorial review. Visa rules can change at any time. Always verify the latest requirements with the relevant embassy or immigration authority before making travel decisions.

days max stay

6 months

passport validity required

Swahili & English

official language

English spoken

KES

currency

About

Kenya is East Africa's economic powerhouse, known for its diverse wildlife, innovative tech scene ("Silicon Savannah"), and Nairobi's status as a regional business hub. The country offers visa-free entry through its eTA system, making it one of the most accessible African destinations for Bangladeshis.

Kenya's economy is diversified across agriculture, manufacturing, services, and a rapidly growing technology sector. Nairobi hosts the regional headquarters of many multinational companies, creating opportunities for skilled professionals.

Last updated: 2026-05-28

Entry & Visa Requirements

eTA
Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) required since January 2024. Apply online at etakenya.go.ke. Fee: $30.
Return ticket required
Proof of funds required

Work Permit Pathway

Class D work permit for employment. Employer must demonstrate no qualified Kenyan candidate is available. Process takes 4-8 weeks. Cost: approximately $2,000. Valid for 2 years, renewable. Some sectors (construction, manufacturing) have faster processing for in-demand skills.

Last updated: 2026-05-28

Overstay Penalties & Consequences

Kenya treats immigration violations seriously under the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act 2011 (Article 53), with penalties tightened further by the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Amendment Bill 2023 (enforced from January 2025).

Overstaying your eTA or work permit can result in fines up to KES 500,000 (~USD $3,850) depending on the duration and circumstances of the overstay (WKA Advocates, 2024). For serious or repeated violations, imprisonment of up to 3 years is possible under Kenyan immigration law. Deportation with a re-entry ban is the standard outcome for significant overstays — once deported, you become ineligible for future eTAs and must apply through embassy channels, which may be refused.

Kenya does not publicly document a specific daily fine rate (unlike some Southeast Asian countries). Instead, penalties are assessed case-by-case by immigration officers, with severity increasing based on duration, intent, and employment status during the overstay. Working without a valid permit compounds the violation significantly.

Immigration enforcement includes random police checkpoints, particularly on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway and in urban areas. Officers can request passport and permit documentation at any time. Detention in immigration holding facilities or general police custody is possible while deportation is arranged (Global Detention Project, Kenya profile).

Practical advice: set calendar reminders 30 days before any permit or eTA expires. If your employer is handling renewal, confirm the timeline in writing. If you discover your permit has lapsed, contact the Directorate of Immigration (immigration.go.ke) immediately — voluntary disclosure typically receives more lenient treatment than being discovered at a checkpoint.

Last updated: 2026-05-28

Job Market

Agriculture and agribusiness remain the largest sectors. Construction is growing with major infrastructure projects. The tech sector ("Silicon Savannah") offers opportunities for IT professionals. Manufacturing, particularly in export processing zones, actively recruits foreign skilled workers.

Construction Manufacturing Agriculture IT & Tech Textile & Garments

Last updated: 2026-05-28

Salary & Payments

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Kenya has a tiered gazetted minimum wage system, updated annually by the Ministry of Labour. As of 2026 (following a 12% increase), the minimum wages are: major cities (Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret) KES 18,047/month (~$139); municipalities (Ruiru, Mavoko, Limuru) KES 14,866/month (~$114); and rural areas KES 8,596/month (~$66) (Tuko, 2026; Playroll, 2026).

Wage payment reliability varies significantly by sector. The formal corporate sector (banking, telecom, large manufacturing) generally pays on time and through documented channels, often via M-Pesa mobile money. The construction sector has moderate reliability — formal contractors pay consistently, but subcontracting chains can introduce delays. Agriculture, particularly the flower farm sector, has documented issues with below-living-wage payments and limited overtime compensation (ILO Better Work data).

The informal sector, which employs approximately 83% of Kenya's workforce, offers little wage protection. Payment delays, underpayment, and absence of written contracts are common. Domestic workers are particularly vulnerable — the gazetted minimum of KES 8,596-18,047 is frequently ignored in practice.

For Bangladeshi workers: Kenya's minimum wages are generally lower than what comparable workers earn in the Gulf states or Malaysia. The IT sector is the exception — entry-level tech salaries of $310-615/month are competitive by regional standards. Workers should request written employment contracts specifying exact monthly salary in KES, payment frequency, and whether the employer covers the annual work permit fee (KES 500,000/year). All salary figures here use an approximate exchange rate of 130 KES per 1 USD, which fluctuates.

Last updated: 2026-05-28

Where to Apply

Kenya eTA Portal

Official Portal

Immigration

Official Electronic Travel Authorization portal. Replaced eVisa system in January 2024. Apply here for tourist/business entry ($30 fee, 90-day validity). Required before travel — does not authorize employment.

Website

Verified: 2026-05-28

eFNS — Foreign Nationals Services

Official Portal

Immigration / Work Permits

Official work permit application portal. Employers initiate Class D work permit applications here. Also handles alien registration cards, special passes, and dependant passes. All work permit processes are online through this system.

Website

Verified: 2026-05-28

National Employment Authority (NEA)

Official Portal

Employment Services

Government employment services agency. Registers private recruitment agencies, maintains job listings through NEAIMS (neaims.go.ke), and oversees foreign worker employment advertising requirements. Useful for verifying the legitimacy of recruitment agencies.

Website

Verified: 2026-05-28

KenInvest — Kenya Investment Authority

Official Portal

Investment / Business

Government investment promotion agency. Issues Investment Certificates, provides licensing guidance, and facilitates foreign business registration. Essential contact for Class G (business) permit applicants and SEZ investors.

Website

Verified: 2026-05-28

NITA — National Industrial Training Authority

Official Portal

Skills / Training

Government authority for industrial training and skills certification. Manages the Industrial Training Levy and coordinates skills assessment. Relevant for workers who need Kenyan skills recognition or want to access training programs.

Website

Verified: 2026-05-28

Safaricom PLC

Major Employer

Telecommunications / Technology

Kenya s number one employer (AscendurePro, 2026). Creator of M-Pesa mobile money platform. Over 5,500 direct employees. Regularly hires software engineers, data analysts, cybersecurity specialists, and network engineers. Competitive salaries and benefits.

Website

Verified: 2026-05-28

Kenya Airways

Major Employer

Aviation

National airline. Significant employer for aviation engineers, cabin crew, ground handlers, and operations staff. Africa s fifth-largest airline by fleet size.

Website

Verified: 2026-05-28

Equity Bank Group

Major Employer

Banking / Financial Services

One of East Africa s largest banks. Major employer in banking, microfinance, and digital financial services. Operations in Kenya, Uganda, DRC, Rwanda, Tanzania, and South Sudan.

Website

Verified: 2026-05-28

Bidco Africa

Major Employer

Manufacturing (FMCG)

Major FMCG manufacturer operating across East, Central, and Southern Africa. Produces cooking oils, fats, hygiene products, and animal feeds. Significant manufacturing workforce with multiple factories.

Website

Verified: 2026-05-28

Sian Flowers Group

Major Employer

Horticulture / Flower Farming

Major flower farming group comprising Agriflora, Equator Flowers, and Maasai Flowers. Significant employer in the Lake Naivasha horticulture corridor. Kenya s flower industry is the world s third largest, with Naivasha as its epicentre.

Website

Verified: 2026-05-28

Last updated: 2026-05-28

Housing & Living

Moderate. Nairobi is the most expensive city. A shared room costs $100-200/month. Meals at local restaurants $2-4. Public transport (matatu) is cheap. Outside Nairobi, costs drop significantly.

Social & Culture

Moderate presence. Several thousand Bangladeshis, mainly in Nairobi and Mombasa. Community mosques available. Indian/South Asian grocery stores carry familiar ingredients. Growing Bangladeshi business community in trade and manufacturing.

Business Opportunities

Kenya is East Africa's undisputed business hub and a gateway to the broader East African Community (EAC), which comprises eight member states with a combined consumer market of over 300 million people. The EAC framework allows preferential tariffs and, in principle, free movement of goods, services, labour, and capital across member states — though implementation varies.

The most notable business opportunity in Kenya is its fintech ecosystem, anchored by M-Pesa. Safaricom's mobile money platform processes over 61 million daily transactions and has over 50 million active users in Kenya alone. The broader fintech sector attracted KES 82.3 billion (~USD $633 million) in investment in 2024 (Daily Nation), with a projected digital payments CAGR of 14.1% through 2028 (SDK Finance, 2026). For Bangladeshi tech entrepreneurs familiar with bKash or Nagad, Kenya's fintech maturity offers both learning opportunities and potential partnership avenues.

The technology sector more broadly has attracted Google (Africa AI centre), Microsoft (Africa Development Centre), and numerous startups. The Kenyan government dropped the 30% local ownership requirement for foreign IT firms, making tech one of the most accessible sectors for foreign entrepreneurs.

For physical business, the Class G work permit requires USD $100,000 minimum capital deposited in a Kenyan bank, a business plan, and Kenyan company registration. Annual permit fee is KES 250,000 (~$1,920). Special Economic Zone (SEZ) firms receive significant incentives: 10% corporate tax for 10 years, then 15% for the following 10 years, compared to the standard 30% rate (Kenya Vision 2030). Tatu City near Nairobi is the flagship private SEZ.

Potential Bangladesh-Kenya trade corridors include: Bangladeshi textile and garment exports to the East African market (Kenya as entry point); Kenyan tea, coffee, and flower imports to Bangladesh; pharmaceutical exports from Bangladesh; and agricultural equipment trade. Direct trade data between the two countries is limited, suggesting an underexplored corridor.

Practical barriers: business registration bureaucracy (though improving via eCitizen online portal), corruption perception (Kenya ranks 126th on Transparency International's CPI 2024), limited banking options for new foreign businesses, and the Kenyan understudy requirement for any employees on Class D permits. The $100,000 capital requirement for Class G is a significant barrier for small-scale entrepreneurs.

Last updated: 2026-05-28

Content Quality

AI Generated — Under Review

Verify with Embassy

Visa rules change frequently. Always verify the latest entry requirements with the embassy or consulate of your destination country before making travel plans.

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Cost of Living

Moderate. Nairobi is the most expensive city. A shared room costs $100-200/month. Meals at local restaurants $2-4. Public transport (matatu) is cheap. Outside Nairobi, costs drop significantly.