Diaspora & Migration Studies Specialist
Researches and analyses migration patterns, diaspora communities and remittance economies. Advises governments, NGOs and international organisations on migration policy, refugee integration and diaspora engagement strategies.
- AI exposure
- 40 of 100, moderate exposure
- Hiring trend
- Rising
- Hiring rate
- 38%
The role
What the work is, what it pays, and what it costs you.
At a glance
- Remote friendly
- Yes
- Freelance potential
- High
- Time to senior
- 8 years
- Adaptation level
- Moderate
A day in the role
Analyses remittance data from the Central Bank, interviews diaspora returnees about reintegration challenges, drafts a policy brief on diaspora investment, and presents findings to a government working group.
What it pays
Kenyan market, per month- Entry
- KES 75,000-110,000
- Mid
- KES 140,000-230,000
- Senior
- KES 280,000-450,000
Exposure
How much of this a machine can already do, and how that was worked out.
Where this rating sits
1,516 rated careersRated above 46% of the 1,516 careers in the catalogue, which averages 43. Inside arts & humanities the mean is 50, across 84 careers.
What the rating is made of
Share of recorded tasks- Machine does it
- 8%Software can already complete this work end to end.
- Machine assists
- 25%A person still decides, but the drafting is done for them.
- Person does it
- 67%Judgement, relationships and accountability that do not transfer.
Named task by task
Already automated
- Analysing migration data patterns
- Generating demographic visualisations
- Compiling policy brief summaries
- Detecting trends in remittance data
Still human
- Conducting fieldwork with migrant communities
- Interpreting migration policy implications
- Advising governments on diaspora engagement
- Designing refugee integration programmes
- Publishing research and policy recommendations
Getting in
The routes into the role and what each one asks for.
What to study
8 courses- Diploma in Church MusicKsh 54,000a year
- Bachelor of Biblical StudiesKsh 57,600a year
- Bachelor of Biblical TheologyKsh 57,600a year
- Bachelor in Interactive Media TechnologyKsh 79,000a year
- Diploma in Journalism and Media StudiesKsh 96,000a year
- Diploma in Information ManagementKsh 100,330a year
- Diploma in Records Management and Information TechnologyKsh 100,330a year
- Diploma in Library and Information StudiesKsh 107,000a year
How people get in
Sociology or international relations degree
4 yearsHigh cost
BA from UoN, USIU or UoN Institute of Diplomacy
Migration studies postgrad
1-2 yearsHigh cost
MA Migration Studies or equivalent
Who hires
- IOM Kenya
- UNHCR Kenya
- African Migration and Development Policy Centre
- KNBS
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kenya
Common misconceptions
Migration studies is just about refugees
It covers labour migration, diaspora engagement, remittance economies, brain drain/gain and climate migration.
Its purely academic
Migration specialists advise governments, international organisations and private sector on policy and strategy.
What happens next
How the role changes from here, and where it leads.
Supply and demand
- Demand
- 38
- Supply pressure
- 10
- Balance
- High demand
What to learn
- Migration data analysis
- Policy brief writing
- Field research with migrants
Related careers
Kenyan market notes
Kenya is a major migration hub — source, transit and destination country. IOM, UNHCR and AMADPOC are based in Nairobi. Kenyan diaspora remittances are a significant economic factor, creating demand for diaspora policy expertise.
Further reading
This role is rated 40 out of 100 today. Save it and the app keeps that number, then tells you by how much it has moved when the record is next reviewed.