Updated 2026-11-09
Every Gulf job a Kenyan takes sits inside some version of kafala - the sponsorship system that ties a migrant worker’s visa to a specific employer. Reforms since 2018 have loosened it unevenly: Qatar dismantled the most, Saudi Arabia reformed with carve-outs, and domestic workers were mostly left outside. Knowing exactly what your destination’s version allows is the difference between a bad month and a trapped year.
| Country | Job change | Exit permit | Domestic workers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar | Allowed with notice since 2020 - no NOC needed | Abolished for most workers (2018-2020) | Covered by the minimum wage and the 2017 domestic-workers law - the Gulf’s strongest position |
| Saudi Arabia | Without consent after 1 year of contract (March 2021 reforms) | Can be self-requested under the reforms | Excluded from the reforms; protections come from the Musaned contract and the Kenya-Saudi agreement |
| UAE | Permitted with notice under the 2022 labour law’s conditions | No exit-permit regime | Separate domestic-workers law; weaker than the labour law |
| Kuwait | Employer consent still central; transfers via the Public Authority for Manpower | No general exit-permit regime | Law 68 of 2015 grants defined rights; enforcement uneven |
Human-rights monitors are blunt that the reforms, while real, left the structure standing - Human Rights Watch called Saudi Arabia’s changes "insufficient" for exactly the categories Kenyans dominate. Treat the table as the rules of the game, not an assurance.
Related reading: the country guides for Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Dubai and Kuwait apply this system to each market.
The Gulf sponsorship system that ties a migrant worker’s visa and residence to a specific employer, historically giving the employer control over job changes and, in some states, exit from the country. Reforms since 2018 have loosened it to different degrees by country.
In Qatar, no - exit permits were abolished for most workers. In Saudi Arabia, workers can self-request exit under the 2021 reforms. The UAE and Kuwait have no general exit-permit regime. Unresolved "absconding" reports and disputes can still block departures in practice, so resolve status issues through the labour channels.
Qatar: yes, with notice. Saudi Arabia: after one year of your contract (domestic workers excluded). UAE: with notice under the 2022 law’s conditions. Kuwait: employer consent still plays a central role. Every transfer goes through the official system - informal job-hopping creates an immigration violation.
No - passport confiscation is unlawful across the GCC, and it remains one of the most common abuses. Refuse politely, keep digital copies, and report confiscation to the host-country labour authority and the Kenyan mission.
An employer’s claim that a worker left the job without authorisation, which can cancel your status and lead to detention and deportation. Malicious reports are a known retaliation tactic - another reason to exit through the official transfer or dispute process rather than simply walking out.