Consultancy for Labour Market Assessment for the Kenya-Mauritius-Seychelles Labour Mobility Corridor Mauritius-Seychelles Labour Demand Assessment in the Hospitality Sector

Introduction

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations and the leading UN agency in the field of migration. Working closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners, IOM promotes humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It saves lives and protects people on the move, drives solutions to displacement, and facilitates pathways for regular migration, while providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

IOM is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive and supportive workplace where all employees can thrive professionally and feel valued. By creating such an environment, IOM aims to better harness the full potential of migration and strengthen its support to people on the move.

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Project Context and Scope

1. Background and Context.

The Government of Kenya, through the State Department for Labour and Skills Development, is committed to promoting safe, orderly and regular labour migration as a pathway for employment creation, skills development and economic growth. At the same time, Mauritius and Seychelles continue to face labour shortages in key service sectors, particularly tourism and hospitality, due to demographic constraints, economic growth and sustained demand for skilled and semi-skilled workers. The Kenya-Mauritius-Seychelles labour mobility corridor therefore presents an opportunity to respond to destination-country labour demand while supporting structured, ethical and mutually beneficial labour mobility from Kenya.

Mauritius and Seychelles have increasingly relied on foreign labour to sustain priority sectors, including hospitality, tourism, construction, domestic services and related service industries. In Mauritius, foreign workers have become important in supporting economic activity where domestic labour supply is insufficient to meet employer needs. In Seychelles, the structural reliance on migrant labour is especially pronounced, with migrant workers representing a significant share of the workforce in tourism, construction, fisheries, domestic services and other sectors. These trends underscore the importance of generating reliable evidence on actual and projected labour demand, priority occupations, recruitment requirements and employer expectations in the two destination countries.

Given the strong dependence of both island economies on tourism and hospitality, there is a need to better understand which occupations are in demand, the scale and nature of labour shortages, the skills and qualification standards required by employers, and the recruitment channels and employment conditions that shape access to these labour markets. Such evidence is essential to determine whether, and under what conditions, suitably qualified Kenyan workers can be matched to identified demand in Mauritius and Seychelles through safe, regular and ethical labour mobility arrangements.

The hospitality sector in Mauritius and Seychelles includes a wide range of occupations such as hotel operations, food and beverage services, housekeeping, culinary services, customer care, recreation and tourism services. While Kenya has a sizeable workforce and training ecosystem that may support labour mobility, the immediate priority of this consultancy is to assess destination-country demand, including employer needs, skills requirements, qualification and certification expectations, and mobility-related constraints affecting recruitment from Kenya.

Despite the potential for labour mobility between Kenya, Mauritius and Seychelles, there is limited consolidated evidence on current and emerging hospitality-sector labour demand in Mauritius and Seychelles, including priority occupations, required skills and competencies, qualification and certification standards, employer recruitment practices, employment conditions and operational constraints. This evidence gap limits the ability of governments, employers, training institutions and IOM to design targeted, demand-responsive and protection-sensitive labour mobility interventions.

To support evidence-based labour mobility programming and inform future policy dialogue, skills matching initiatives and potential Bilateral Labour Migration Agreements (BLMAs), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with support from the Better Regional Migration Management (BRMM), intends to commission a Labour Market Assessment (LMA) focusing on Mauritius-Seychelles as labour demand country within the Mauritius-Seychelles Kenya-corridor.

Purpose of the consultancy assignment.

The purpose of this consultancy is to conduct a labour demand assessment of the Mauritius-Seychelles hospitality sector in Mauritius and Seychelles, with a view to identifying current and emerging demand, priority occupations, skills requirements, qualification and certification standards, and employer needs relevant to structured labour mobility from Kenya. The assessment will generate evidence on labour shortages, occupational demand, recruitment requirements, available job opportunities demanded skills and competency occupation profiles, working conditions, required and labour mobility constraints in the two destination countries, in order to inform safe, regular, ethical and mutually beneficial labour mobility pathways between Kenya, Mauritius and Seychelles.

Overall Objective.

To generate evidence-based insights on current and emerging labour demand in the hospitality sector in Mauritius and Seychelles, including priority occupations, skills requirements, qualification standards and employer needs, in order to inform safe, regular, ethical and mutually beneficial labour mobility pathways between Kenya, Mauritius and Seychelles.

Specific Objectives.

The following are the specific objectives of the proposed consultancy assignment:

1. Map current and emerging labour demand in the hospitality and tourism sectors in Mauritius and Seychelles, including priority occupations relevant to structured labour mobility from Kenya.
2. Assess employer demand for skilled workers in priority hospitality occupations, including occupation-specific shortages and recruitment needs.
3. Analyze employer requirements related to education levels, technical qualifications, professional certifications, work experience, language competencies and soft skills.
4. Examine recruitment channels, employment conditions and mobility-related requirements affecting the placement of Kenyan workers in Mauritius and Seychelles.
5. Identify existing and emerging skills gaps and occupation-specific competency needs within the hospitality sectors of Mauritius and Seychelles.
6. Examine qualification, certification and recognition requirements applicable to hospitality occupations in Mauritius and Seychelles.
7. Assess employer awareness, interest and readiness to participate in structured, ethical labour mobility arrangements with Kenya.
8. Analyze gender-specific opportunities and constraints within hospitality-sector labour demand and recruitment practices in Mauritius and Seychelles.
9. Identify priority occupations, employer profiles and recruitment segments that could be matched with suitably qualified Kenyan workers.
10. Develop evidence-based recommendations to support demand-responsive skills matching, ethical recruitment, worker protection and future labour mobility arrangements between Kenya, Mauritius and Seychelles.

Scope of Work.

The consultant will undertake the following tasks:

1.Desk review.

• Review relevant labour migration, employment, hospitality-sector, foreign worker, skills recognition and recruitment policies, regulations and institutional frameworks in Mauritius and Seychelles, with reference to Kenya where relevant for labour mobility arrangements.
• Review existing labour market studies, tourism and hospitality sector assessments, employment reports, vacancy data and employer surveys relevant to labour demand in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Analyze available labour market, vacancy, work permit, sectoral employment and occupation-specific data relevant to hospitality-sector labour demand in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Review existing labour mobility programmes and initiatives supporting overseas employment opportunities for Kenyans.

2. Labour demand assessment.

• Map current and emerging labour demand in the hospitality sector in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Identify priority hospitality occupations with potential for structured labour mobility from Kenya.
• Assess employer demand for workers in priority occupations, including occupation-specific shortages, recruitment volumes and projected staffing needs.
• Analyze employer requirements related to qualifications, certifications, professional experience, language competencies and soft skills.
• Examine recruitment channels, employment conditions and mobility-related requirements affecting the placement of Kenyan workers in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Identify skills gaps, competency requirements and occupation-specific training needs from the perspective of employers in the destination countries.
• Identify regulatory, institutional, contractual and operational constraints that may affect ethical recruitment, worker protection and labour mobility arrangements between Kenya, Mauritius and Seychelles.

3. Skills requirements, qualifications and certification analysis.

• Identify occupation-specific skills and competency requirements for priority hospitality occupations in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Assess employer requirements related to education levels, technical qualifications, professional experience, language competencies and soft skills.
• Review qualification, certification, accreditation and recognition requirements applicable to hospitality occupations in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Identify skills gaps, competency gaps and occupation-specific upskilling needs from the perspective of employers and destination-country labour market requirements.
• Assess the extent to which Kenyan hospitality training and certification systems can be aligned with the skills, competency and qualification requirements identified in Mauritius and Seychelles.

4. Recruitment channels, employment conditions and labour mobility requirements.

• Map formal and informal recruitment channels used by hospitality-sector employers in Mauritius and Seychelles, including the role of employers, recruitment agencies and relevant public institutions.
• Assess employer interest and readiness to recruit suitably qualified Kenyan workers through structured, ethical and regular labour mobility arrangements.
• Identify regulatory, institutional, contractual, financial and operational requirements that may affect recruitment, placement and employment of Kenyan workers in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Assess applicable employment conditions, contractual standards, wage practices, accommodation arrangements, social protection provisions and grievance mechanisms relevant to migrant workers in the destination countries.
• Identify measures required to strengthen ethical recruitment, worker protection, skills matching and coordination between Kenyan institutions and destination-country employers and authorities.

5. Gender, youth and inclusion analysis.

• Analyze gender- and youth-specific patterns in employer demand for priority hospitality occupations in Mauritius and Seychelles, including any occupation-specific preferences, requirements or constraints that may affect recruitment from Kenya.
• Identify gender-specific opportunities, risks and constraints within hospitality-sector recruitment practices, employment conditions and labour mobility requirements in the two destination countries.
• Assess inclusion challenges and opportunities for disadvantaged groups in accessing structured, ethical and regular labour mobility pathways linked to hospitality-sector demand in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Provide recommendations for gender-responsive, youth-sensitive and inclusive labour mobility programming, including measures to promote fair recruitment, decent work, worker protection and equitable access to destination-country employment opportunities.

6. Stakeholder consultations.

The consultant will conduct Key Informant Interviews, Focus Group Discussions and stakeholder consultations with relevant actors in Mauritius, Seychelles, with priority given to stakeholders who can provide evidence on labour demand, recruitment practices, skills requirements, employment conditions and labour mobility arrangements.

• Relevant ministries responsible for labour, employment, tourism, migration and foreign worker management in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Public employment services, work permit authorities and labour market information institutions in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Hospitality-sector employers, hotels, resorts, restaurants, tourism operators and employer associations in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Private recruitment agencies, licensed labour recruiters and placement intermediaries involved in hospitality-sector recruitment.
• Skills certification, qualification recognition, accreditation and hospitality training institutions relevant to priority occupations in Mauritius, Seychelles.
• Trade unions, worker associations, migrant worker support organizations and civil society actors involved in worker protection and decent work in the destination countries.
• Kenyan institutions responsible for labour migration, skills development, certification, recruitment oversight and coordination of overseas employment.
• Kenyan hospitality training institutions and, where relevant, prospective workers or alumni to assess alignment with destination-country skills, qualification and recruitment requirements.
• IOM, development partners and relevant regional or bilateral cooperation actors supporting safe, regular, ethical and mutually beneficial labour mobility pathways between Kenya, Mauritius and Seychelles.

7. Data analysis and reporting.

• Analyze and synthesize quantitative and qualitative data to generate evidence-based findings on labour demand in the hospitality sector in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Identify priority hospitality occupations with the highest potential for structured labour mobility from Kenya, based on employer demand, labour shortages, recruitment needs and skills requirements.
• Assess the feasibility of matching suitably qualified Kenyan workers with identified labour demand in Mauritius and Seychelles, taking into account qualification, certification, language, skills and mobility-related requirements.
• Develop practical recommendations to support demand-responsive skills matching, ethical recruitment, worker protection and coordination between Kenyan institutions, destination-country employers and relevant authorities.
• Produce a comprehensive labour demand assessment report covering findings, priority occupations, employer requirements, skills and qualification needs, mobility constraints and actionable recommendations for the Kenya-Mauritius-Seychelles labour mobility corridor.

8. Assessment methodology.

The consultant is expected to apply a robust mixed-methods approach designed to generate reliable evidence on hospitality-sector labour demand in Mauritius and Seychelles and its relevance for structured labour mobility from Kenya. The methodology should include:

• Comprehensive desk review of relevant labour market, tourism, hospitality, migration, foreign worker, recruitment, skills certification and qualification recognition policies, studies, reports and administrative data in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Analysis of labour market, vacancy, work permit, sectoral employment, tourism and occupation-specific data to identify current and emerging demand, labour shortages, recruitment volumes and projected staffing needs in the hospitality sector.
• Employer surveys targeting hotels, resorts, restaurants, tourism operators, sector associations and other relevant hospitality-sector employers in Mauritius and Seychelles to capture staffing needs, priority occupations, skills requirements, qualification standards, recruitment practices and interest in recruiting suitably qualified Kenyan workers.
• Key Informant Interviews with public authorities, employers, recruitment agencies, skills and certification bodies, worker protection actors, IOM and other relevant stakeholders to assess labour demand, recruitment channels, employment conditions, mobility requirements and institutional coordination needs.
• Focus Group Discussions, where appropriate, with employers, recruitment intermediaries, training institutions, worker representatives and relevant Kenyan institutions to validate findings on skills matching, qualification alignment, worker protection and practical requirements for structured labour mobility.
• Skills, competency, qualification and certification mapping for priority hospitality occupations, including comparison with relevant Kenyan training and certification systems to determine alignment with destination-country requirements.
• Institutional and regulatory assessment of recruitment systems, work permit processes, contractual standards, employment conditions, worker protection mechanisms and coordination arrangements relevant to labour mobility between Kenya, Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Gender-, youth- and inclusion-sensitive analysis of employer demand, recruitment practices, employment conditions, risks, constraints and opportunities linked to equitable access to safe, regular and ethical labour mobility pathways.
• A stakeholder validation workshop to review and validate preliminary findings, priority occupations, employer requirements, mobility constraints and proposed recommendations with relevant stakeholders from Mauritius, Seychelles and Kenya.

It is expected that a detailed methodology will be presented in the consultant’s inception report.

9. Main deliverables.

Deliverable 1: Inception Report.
The inception report will be submitted within two weeks of contract commencement and will set out the consultant’s proposed approach for assessing hospitality-sector labour demand in Mauritius and Seychelles, with reference to its relevance for structured labour mobility from Kenya.

The report should include:

• Detailed methodology for assessing labour demand, employer requirements, recruitment channels, skills and qualification needs, employment conditions and mobility-related constraints.
• Workplan and implementation schedule covering desk review, consultations, data collection, analysis, validation and reporting.
• Data collection tools for employers, recruitment agencies, relevant public institutions, training and certification bodies, and other stakeholders in Mauritius, Seychelles and Kenya, as appropriate.
• Stakeholder consultation plan prioritizing destination-country employers, sector associations, recruitment intermediaries, public authorities, worker protection actors and relevant Kenyan institutions.
• Quality assurance framework, including measures to ensure data reliability, gender- and youth-sensitive analysis, ethical research practice and validation of findings with relevant stakeholders.

Deliverable 2: Draft Labour Demand Assessment Report.

This report will include:

• Analysis of current and emerging hospitality-sector labour demand in Mauritius and Seychelles, including priority occupations, labour shortages, recruitment volumes and projected staffing need and demands.
• Assessment of employer skills, competency, qualification, certification, experience, language and soft-skill requirements for priority hospitality occupations.
• Assessment of recruitment channels, employment conditions, mobility-related requirements and constraints affecting the placement of suitably qualified Kenyan workers in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Gender, youth and inclusion analysis linked to destination-country labour demand, recruitment practices, employment conditions and equitable access to structured labour mobility pathways.
• Preliminary findings and practical recommendations for demand-responsive skills matching, ethical recruitment, worker protection and coordination between Kenyan institutions and destination-country employers and authorities.

Deliverable 3: Stakeholder validation workshop.

• Presentation of key findings.
• Facilitation of stakeholder validation workshop.
• Documentation of stakeholder feedback.

Deliverable 4: Final Labour Demand Assessment Report -The final report will include:

• Executive summary.
• Comprehensive findings and analysis on current and emerging hospitality-sector labour demand in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Priority hospitality occupations with potential for structured labour mobility from Kenya.
• Employer requirements, including skills, competencies, qualifications, certifications, experience, language and soft-skill needs.
• Assessment of recruitment channels, employment conditions, mobility requirements and constraints affecting placement of Kenyan workers in Mauritius and Seychelles.
• Key and strategic recommendations to support demand-responsive skills matching, ethical recruitment, worker protection and institutional coordination.
• Action plan for strengthening safe, regular, ethical and mutually beneficial labour mobility pathways between Kenya, Mauritius and Seychelles, informed by destination-country demand.

10. Duration of the consultancy assignment.

The proposed consultancy assignment is expected to be undertaken over a period of 12 weeks (3 months) from the date of signing the contract.

Indicative Schedule:

• Weeks 1-3: Inception and desk review.
• Weeks 4-7: Field data collection.
• Weeks 8-9: Analysis and report drafting.
• Week 11-12 : Validation and finalization.

11. Assignment management and reporting.

The consultant will report directly to IOM Mauritius and Seychelles, which will provide overall oversight and technical guidance for the assignment, in close collaboration with IOM Kenya and the IOM Regional Office. The consultant will work closely with the designated focal points from these offices throughout the assignment, including during inception, data collection, analysis, reporting and validation. All deliverables must be reviewed and approved by IOM Mauritius and Seychelles, in consultation with IOM Kenya and the IOM Regional Office, before payments are processed.

12. Required Qualifications and Experience - The consultant should possess the following qualifications:

• An advanced degree in Economics, Labour Studies, Migration Studies, Development Studies, Tourism Management or related discipline.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience conducting labour market assessments, migration studies or employment-related research.
• Demonstrated expertise in labour migration governance and skills mobility.
• Experience in hospitality sector workforce analysis.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative research/study skills.
• Experience in East African and regional labour markets.
• Excellent analytical, facilitation and report-writing skills.
• Experience working with governments, development partners and private sector stakeholders.

13. Application requirements. - Interested consultants/firms are requested to submit:

• Technical and financial proposal.
• Detailed CV(s) of proposed consultant(s).
• Provide evidence of similar assignments undertaken.
• Proposed workplan and methodology.
• At least three professional references.

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.

Values - all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these five values:

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.
• Integrity and transparency: Maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.
• Courage: Demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance.
• Empathy: Shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected and fairly treated.

Core Competencies – behavioural indicators

• Teamwork: Develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results: Produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner. Is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: Continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
• Accountability: Takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own actions and delegated work.
• Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

Notes

IOM covers Consultants against occupational accidents and illnesses under the Compensation Plan (CP), free of charge, for the duration of the consultancy. IOM does not provide evacuation or medical insurance for reasons related to non-occupational accidents and illnesses. Consultants are responsible for their own medical insurance for non-occupational accident or illness and will be required to provide written proof of such coverage before commencing work.

Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.

Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, security clearances.

IOM has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and IOM, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities.

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IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM e-Recruitment system (for internal candidates link here). The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application.

No late applications will be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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