How 3,500+ women are driving Tanzania’s foreign job boom
Over 4,200 Tanzanian youths secured foreign employment in the 2025/26 fiscal year, with women accounting for the vast majority of placements. The government has introduced new regulatory measures to ensure safe and legal recruitment through accredited agencies.
Why it matters
This reflects a significant trend in labor migration and the government's efforts to protect citizens working abroad in the Middle East.
Unguja. A total of 4,211 Tanzanian youths secured overseas employment during the 2025/26 financial year, with women dominating the figures by a wide margin.
The Zanzibar Minister of Labour and Investment, Mr Shariff Ali Shariff, unveiled the statistics in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
He was responding to a question from the Mtambile Representative, Mr Alley Masoud Alley (ACT-Wazalendo), who sought details on the number of youths recruited for foreign jobs and the procedures governing their recruitment.
According to the data, women accounted for the vast majority of those recruited, with 3,527 finding jobs compared to just 684 men.
"These young people have secured employment in several countries, including Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)," Mr Shariff told the House.
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