Addis Ababa, August 20, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopia created job opportunities for more than 28,000 returning migrants during the first 11 months of the just-ended 2025/26 fiscal year, the Ministry of Labor and Skills said.
State Minister of Labor and Skills Solomon Soka said the government is working to improve the livelihoods of returning citizens by creating employment opportunities and building a conducive work environment that enables them to rebuild their lives and prosper in their home country.
He said more than 28,000 returning migrants were organized and supported to engage in employment during the reporting period, with favorable conditions created for them to achieve self-reliance by utilizing opportunities and resources available in their local communities.
Supporting returning migrants to overcome the difficulties and losses they experienced abroad and establish themselves through work after returning home goes beyond job creation, Solomon noted, saying it is also aimed at strengthening their social and economic reintegration.
He said enabling citizens to work and prosper in their own country, while reducing the false promises that drive people toward irregular migration, remains a key government priority.
Alongside supporting the reintegration of returning migrants, the government is also working to enable citizens to access employment opportunities abroad through legal channels, the state minister said.
As part of these efforts, more than 550,000 citizens secured legal employment placements abroad during the past nine months, he said.
Solomon further noted that skills training and employment programs are being strengthened to enable citizens to participate in the global labor market through digital platforms without leaving their country.
The ministry has also developed a plan to equip 3.5 million citizens with the skills needed to compete in the global labor market over the coming three years, he said.