Kenyans employed in Saudi Arabia are expected to receive a pay increase following the Middle Eastern nation's announcement of a new minimum wage for all employees.

Effective next year, each worker working in Saudi Arabia is set to earn a minimum of 1,000 Saudi Riyals, about Ksh34,455 per month.

The new salary structure is set to take place starting February 2026 as part of the Kingdom's ongoing labour reforms following changes to the Kafala system.

In a statement, the Kenyan Embassy in Riyadh revealed the new update, urging workers to confirm implementation of the new minimum salaries with their respective employers.

"The Embassy wishes to inform all Kenyan workers that, effective February 2026, the Government of Saudi Arabia will implement a minimum salary of SAR 1,000 per month for all workers. This is in line with ongoing labour reforms following changes to the Kafala system," the statement read.

Further, workers have been advised to raise issues promptly to ensure compliance while also safeguarding their rights under the revised labour regulations. 

Previously, Saudi Arabia's minimum wage largely depended on the worker's nationality, with Saudi nationals in the private sector enjoying a minimum wage of SAR 4000 (around Ksh 137,822).

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Meanwhile, Saudi nationals in the public sector are entitled to a minimum wage of SAR 3000, which is approximately Ksh103,366.

However, for foreign workers, there was no official minimum wage previously, meaning workers, including Kenyans, were at the mercy of their employers as far as their earnings are concerned.

In October, the Saudi Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development also announced the launch of a new standardised contract to protect workers and streamline processes to attract global investment.

The initiative introduced new procedures for documenting an employment contract under a new enforcement model to reduce wage-related disputes and boost transparency in the workplace.

As far as Kenyans working in Saudi Arabia, the Kenyan government recently came under fire for allegedly failing to provide diplomatic assistance to stranded mothers in the Kingdom.

The government, through Diaspora Affairs PS Roseline Njogu, however, disputed this notion, insisting that Kenyans in the Middle Eastern country failed to properly utilise channels accorded to them through diplomatic efforts by the two nations.