Before you leave for Gulf, its important to learn key things like what to pack, process, pre-departure training, airport and flight procedures . In this section we provide key information on those things you need to do before departing for gulf.
If you require any information about your job to the gulf, travel, attestation, visa, contract or offer letters e.t.c you can contact the following help lines.
HELP LINES To get helpBEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR GULF ITS IMPORTANT YOU FOLLOW THIS PROCESS
1. After passing the interview
A full medical examination is conducted as per the employers requirements. The Kenyan recruitment agent then sends this medical report to the Gulf employment agent who verifies it.
2. Offer letter is sent
If Gulf employment agent and employer are satisfied with the medical report they then issue an offer letter. The offer letter is sent to the Kenyan recruitment agent who shares it with the candidate.
3. Acceptance of the offer
The candidate should read and understand the offer letter before signing it. One should seek help and clarifications from the agent or even Ministry of Labour should they need any before signing to accept.
4. Contract is sent
The accepted offer letter is then sent to the Gulf agent who then prepares a job contract. The contract is then sent to the agent to pass on to the candidate.
5. Contract signing
The candidate should read and understand the contract before signing it. One should seek help and clarifications from the agent or even Ministry of Labour should they need any before signing to accept.
6. Attestation
After this the candidate should then be attested by Ministry of Labour in Kenya. One requires the signed contract, security bond, medical report. Attestation is done in person at the Labour office.
7. Visa & Air Ticket sent
The Gulf agent then sends the Air Ticket to the Kenyan recruitment agent. This is then shared with the candidate.
8. Pre-departure training
One should then attend pre-departure training. Currently Youth Enterprise Development Fund has been conducting this training but also the recruitment agents train.
You can apply for, renew or replace your passport and pay for it online at E-citizen website. You will have to print out a form at the end. You must sign and date the form, add any documents or photographs that are needed, and return it for processing.
Apply for your passport online hereWhy you should attend Pre-departure training
Youth Fund official conducts Pre-departure training
- Pre-departure orientation training(PDOT) is the training given to potential migrants before they leave the country to work abroad. Its objective is to prepare the migrants to live and work in another country. PDOT training should be attended over a long period of time before the departure and not all at once at the last minute.
- It promotes safe, legal and humane migration
- It helps prevent human trafficking, discrimination, exploitation and abuse of migrant workers at all stages of the migration process
- It encourages migrants to take care of their own well-being and carry out their duties properly
- It makes migrant workers aware of their rights and of ways to safeguard these rights
- It prepares migrant workers to adapt to the new environment in the destination country
- It gives basic information and options on sending money home as well as managing their budget and savings
- It prepares migrant workers to return home on completion of their tenure in the foreign country
Checklist before departure
Participants are taken through a departure checklist
- Make sure that the job designation or category mentioned on your visa matches the job that you have been recruited for.
- Remember to pack both your original documents and their copies. Also, leave more copies at home before you depart. Keep the originals always with you or in your hand baggage. They may be required at check-in and Bureau of Immigration (BoI) counters.
- Note down all the phone numbers and other contact details of the Kenyan Mission/Consulate/Embassy in the country you are going to.
- Make sure your passport is valid for at least two years.
- Always keep copies of your passport and visa with you.
- Get a copy of the employment contract co-signed by you, your foreign employer and the Recruitment Agent.
- You need to open a bank account with any bank in Kenya. If you need to also remit money to your family also open a second joint savings bank account with your family member separate from your main account. This will enable you to remit your earnings safely. Your family member can withdraw the money while you are abroad. Note down the SWIFT/NEFT/RTGS and IFSC codes of the branch and the bank. These are unique codes that identify and enable to money to be transferred to your bank account.
- Its important to get a travel insurance policy before leaving Kenya, or any other insurance depending on the journey.
CLICK ON EACH OF THE ITEMS BELOW TO LEARN ABOUT AIRPORT & FLIGHT PROCEDURES
You can take two types of luggage with you on a flight:-
- One piece of ‘hand baggage’—this is what you can carry with you inside the plane. It should not weigh more than 7 kg. Check with your airline in case you need any clarification.
- Ensure that your hand baggage is not larger than 45 cm (17 in) x 40 cm (15 in) x 30 cm (12 in). Check with your airline in case you need any clarification.
- Check-in baggage’ or ‘checked baggage’ goes into the plane’s baggage compartment and can be more than one bag or suitcase, depending on the luggage weight allowed by the airline. You will get your luggage back once you reach your destination.
- Ensure that your checked baggage is not larger than 95 cm (38 in) x 75 cm (30 in) x 45 cm (18 in) in size. Check with your airline in case you need any clarification.
- Check the weight limit for check-in baggage when you are booking your ticket. Different airlines have different limits depending on where you are going.
- Remember to clearly write your name and contact details on all your suitcases.
- Ensure that you lock each and every bag you are carrying and keep the keys safely on your person.
- When you check in at the airport, the person at the counter will give you a boarding pass with your seat number.
- In case you have any check-in luggage, they will also put a tag on your luggage and a sticker on your boarding pass. Keep this safe—you will have to show it to the airport authorities if you can’t find your luggage after you land at the destination.
- It is best to keep valuable items with you in your hand baggage.
Airlines are very strict about what you cannot carry on a flight. Please make sure that you do not pack any of these items. For more details, contact the airline and ask what items are banned in both check-in and hand baggage. There are also advertisement boards near airline counters listing banned items when you check in your luggage. Always obey the rules.
- Lighters, matches
- Metal scissors
- Blades, such as box/paper cutters, axes, meat cleavers, picks, swords, knives (except for plastic knives) and razor blades (safety razors are allowed)
- Bats and sticks, such as baseball bats, hockey sticks, cricket bats, golf clubs etc.
- Guns or firearms of any type (including air guns and BB guns), ammunition (bullets, pellets etc.), parts of guns or even toy guns
- Any other weapons or self-defense items
- Tools, such as hammers, drills, saws, screwdrivers, pliers etc.
Kitchen utensils
- Guns, firearms, ammunition and explosives of any kind
- Flammable items, such as lighter fluid, petrol, kerosene, oil, gas etc.
- Liquids, sprays or gels of any kind (the only exception is for medicines, and you should make sure you pack them in clear plastic cases)
- Chemicals, such as bleach, chlorine, paint etc.
- For some airlines, lithium ion batteries (e.g. large power banks) are forbidden both as checked
and carry-on baggage. - Tobacco products (this depends on the country, but be safe and don’t pack them)
- Poisonous substances, such as insecticides and pesticides
- Plant and animal products (this depends on the country you are going to, but it would be a good idea to avoid carrying them, just to be safe)
- Narcotics
- Pork or alcohol products, especially for GCC countries
- Pornographic material
- Keep all your original documents and at least one copy of each in your hand baggage.
– Passport
– Visa
– Employment contract
– Work permit
– Other identification (driving licence, PAN card, Aadhaar card etc.)
– Medical certificates, immunisation, vaccination, dental and other health records
– School/college certificates
– Medical prescription (in case you are carrying any medicines/drugs as prescribed) - If you have a driving license, you can also carry this along with you. You can also carry trade or professional certificates with you.
- If a doctor has told you to take certain medicines regularly, you should carry those in your hand baggage as well so that you can take them on the flight if needed. Always also carry the prescription from the doctor.
- Migrants with prescription medicine are advised to bring along supporting documentation (e.g. ID cards, letters from doctors). Please note that there may be restrictions at the destination on the types and volume of medicines that can be brought along.
- Money and valuables such as jewellery should be kept in your hand baggage.
- Carry something warm to wear on the plane (the air-conditioning can get very cold).
- Carry a set of clothes, so you can easily change your clothes without unpacking your check-in luggage.
- Pack clothes to wear in the destination country.
- Light but modest clothing is best since the weather in the Gulf countries is warm for most of the year. However also carry one or two warm clothes (e.g. a light sweater) for the winter.
- Pack personal care products such as a toothbrush, soap, shampoo, shaving cream etc.
- You can also carry a few small personal items like photographs of your family and friends or other things that remind you of home.
- It is handy to carry a pen with you since you will have to fill out forms at the airport (e.g. embarkation or disembarkation cards). The flight staff usually provide a copy of the disembarkation card wherever it is mandatory to fill one up.
- When packing fragile/valuable items, it is a good idea to wrap them in your clothes to protect them from damage.
- When packing clothes, you can roll them up instead of folding them. This will save space in your suitcase/bag.