The Refugee-Led Research Hub, in collaboration with Mastercard Foundation and World University Service of Canada (WUSC), has published a new report exploring access to work permits and business licences for refugees in Kenya, and highlighting the gaps between policy and practice.
In Kenya, many refugees, in both urban and camp settings, engage in employment and run businesses to cover their basic needs. Kenyan legislation allows refugees to engage in gainful employment and set up businesses: refugees can apply for Class M work permits with Immigration Services and business licences with county authorities to regularise their activities. In practice, access to work permits and business licences is complicated by several barriers. The report explores the gaps that exist between policy and practice of refugee access to Class M work permits and business licences, and identifies what support is needed to improve access to sustainable livelihoods for urban and camp refugees.
Read it online: Refugees’ Access to Work Permits and Business Licences in Kenya
A separate Executive Summary is also available.
Further RLRH reports are available at https://refugeeledresearch.org/