First Choice Recruitment Agency to Refund Money to Qatar Job Applicants

Embattled First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Agency has admitted that individuals that applied for the recently concluded Qatar World Cup jobs never travelled.

In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, the agency said the applicants who had paid all necessary fees were unable to travel to Qatar due to what it said were unforeseen circumstances.

However, it says it has taken steps to remedy the situation.

Among the steps, the recruitment agency says it has taken include a full refund of the payments made by the applicants as well as a transfer to long-term jobs in other countries.

According to the Eldoret-based First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Agency, the Qatar jobs were short-term, and there were 2,011 applicants.

First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Agency Managing Director Judy Chepchirchir at a past media briefing.

“Due to unforeseen circumstances (technical), these individuals were unable to attend,” read part of the statement issued by Daniella Jebet, the agency’s Communications and Public Relations Department.

Reach out

According to the company, they have already issued full reimbursement of fees remitted to 177 individuals and transferred 449 individuals to long-term employment of two years in Poland, Qatar, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

The agency has also issued a 90-day period for other affected individuals to reach out to them.

“Our offices remain open for any enquires during official working hours,” noted the agency in the statement dated December 28, 2022.

May be an image of text — A statement that was posted on the agency’s Facebook page.

Weeks before the Qatar World Cup, tens of youths staged protests at the agency’s offices, demanding a refund of their money.

The protestors had claimed to have paid at least Ksh40,000 each for the Qatar jobs but there had been no communication on when they would travel.

Some of the job applicants that had visited the agency’s offices on October 21, 2022, only to find it closed.

But with persistent protests, the First Choice Recruitment and Consultancy Agency was forced to temporarily close their Eldoret office, which they later permanently shut down.

First Choice Recruitment Agency Permanently Closes Eldoret Office

The agency is now subject to a petition currently before the Uasin Gishu County Assembly. A section of locals had petitioned the MCAs to probe the agency.

The committee chaired by Ainabkoi/Olare MCA Gilbert Chepkong’a is expected to summon the agency’s director in its probe before submitting a report which is expected to be tabled on January 13, 2023.