Hiring Nurses in Kenya: A Guide for Employers

To hire a nurse in Kenya, confirm the nurse is licensed by the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK), verify their qualifications, put the job on a written contract that meets the Employment Act, and run payroll with the statutory deductions. If you want to bring in a nurse from another country, plan for NCK registration and a work permit, which take months.

This guide is for clinics, hospitals, home-care providers and foreign-owned health businesses setting up in Kenya.

1. Only hire licensed nurses

Every nurse who practises in Kenya must be on the NCK retention register with a current practising licence. Before you make an offer:

• Search the nurse on the NCK register (License Status) at osp.nckenya.com.
• Confirm that the name matches their national ID.
• Diary the licence's expiry and check it again when it is due for renewal - a lapsed licence means the nurse should not be practising.

Kenyan nursing qualifications include the Kenya Registered Community Health Nurse (KRCHN) diploma and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN), with some nurses holding specialist post-basic qualifications. Match the qualification to the role - for example, midwifery training for maternity services.

2. Verify qualifications and background

• Verify KMTC certificates through KMTC's online certificate verification system, and university degrees through the university's registrar.
• Call previous employers on numbers you find independently.
• Ask for a DCI certificate of good conduct - see clearance certificates.
• Get the candidate's consent before running background checks, as the Data Protection Act 2019 requires.

Our full checklist: how to verify a Kenyan nurse's licence and papers.

3. Hiring a nurse trained outside Kenya

Kenya has a large pool of trained nurses, so most employers recruit locally. If you need a nurse trained abroad - for a specialist skill, for example - two processes run in parallel:

NCK registration for foreign-trained nurses

The Nursing Council of Kenya requires a nurse trained outside Kenya to:

1. Meet NCK's minimum entry criteria.
2. Have completed their nursing or midwifery programme and be registered and licensed in the country where they trained, with original certificates and licence.
3. Apply to NCK on the prescribed form, with the prescribed fee.
4. Have their qualification verified by NCK with the foreign institution and regulator.
5. Sit the NCK licensure exam, according to NCK's exam timetable.
6. After passing, complete 12 to 24 weeks of clinical orientation.
7. Then apply online for registration and licensure.

A work permit

A foreign national employed by a specific employer in Kenya normally needs a Class D (employment) work permit, applied for through the Directorate of Immigration Services on eCitizen. The employer usually has to show why the role cannot be filled by a qualified Kenyan, and the permit carries a processing fee plus an annual issuance fee, reported at KES 500,000 a year since 2024. Confirm current requirements and fees on the official immigration channels or with an immigration advocate before you commit to a start date. The nurse should not start work until the permit is issued.

4. Put the job on a compliant contract

Kenya's Employment Act sets the minimum terms. Key points for nursing roles:

Nursing is shift work, so set out in the contract the hours, shift pattern, night duty and how overtime or extra shifts are paid. Many employers also pay allowances such as uniform, night-duty or on-call allowances - state each one in writing.

5. Run payroll correctly

A nurse's salary carries the same statutory deductions as any other employee in Kenya: PAYE, NSSF, SHIF and the Affordable Housing Levy. The employer deducts them, adds its own contributions, and remits them each month. See Kenya statutory deductions, or work out a nurse's net pay with the Kenya PAYE calculator.

Pay for nurses varies widely between public, faith-based and private employers, and by qualification, experience and location. Benchmark against comparable facilities in your area before you set salary bands.

How Cazini helps

Cazini lets you post nursing jobs free, screen applications with AI, run consent-based background checks, and then manage contracts, leave, duty rosters and payroll - including payouts to M-Pesa and bank - on one employee record. See hiring and payroll.

Sources

• Nursing Council of Kenya: registration and licensing
• Nursing Council of Kenya: Online Services Portal and License Status
• KMTC Certificates Verification System
• Employment Act, 2007 (Ministry of Labour copy, PDF)

Frequently asked questions

What licence must a nurse have to work in Kenya?+

Every nurse who practises in Kenya must be registered with the Nursing Council of Kenya and be on its retention register with a current practising licence. You can check a nurse's licence status on the NCK Online Services Portal.

Can a foreign nurse work in Kenya?+

Yes, if they qualify. A nurse trained outside Kenya must apply to the Nursing Council of Kenya, have their qualification verified, pass the NCK licensure exam and complete 12 to 24 weeks of clinical orientation before registering. They also need a work permit, usually a Class D employment permit from the Directorate of Immigration Services.

Do I need a written contract for a nurse?+

Yes. Kenya's Employment Act requires a written contract for employment of three months or more, setting out the job, pay, hours and other terms.

What statutory deductions apply to a nurse's salary?+

The same as for any employee in Kenya - PAYE, NSSF, SHIF and the Affordable Housing Levy - which the employer deducts and remits each month.