The number of people aiming to vacate dear Uganda is baffling. If you’ve recently connected with your youth peers, chances are they’ve expressed an interest in working abroad, or maybe you’ve been thinking about it yourself. It’s almost like a shared dream, quietly or loudly whispered in everyday conversations.
But what’s influencing this mass perspective? Why are so many young Ugandans packing up their dreams and aiming for foreign skies?
“There Are No Jobs Here”—The Reality of Youth Unemployment
Let’s not sugarcoat it—youth unemployment in Uganda is brutal. Every year, hundreds of thousands of young people graduate and step into the job market, only to find there’s little to nothing waiting for them. The numbers don’t lie: nearly 400,000 youths enter the job market annually, but only around 9,000 jobs are available. That’s like an overcrowded taxi trying to carry a whole school—something’s got to give, and more often than not, it’s the passengers.
For many, this harsh reality has become the push factor, looking for employment, albeit outside Ugandan borders. So when an opportunity arises to work abroad—even if it’s not glamorous—it suddenly feels like a lifeline.
Chasing the Promise of Better Pay and Living Standards
Let’s be real. One of the main reasons Ugandan youth are seeking jobs abroad is simple: the money is better. A domestic salary often can’t sustain the life many envision for themselves or their families. Abroad, even jobs considered “low-skilled” can offer better wages than a professional role back home. How this is able to be is simple, foreign currency is often heavier in value than our own, so even an average salary abroad can translate to astronomical values when exchanged back to our local currency.
That’s not to say it’s easy. It isn’t. But the promise of financial stability—to support family, start a business, or just live comfortably—is a strong motivator. For most, it’s not about luxury. It’s about dignity.
Life is Hard in Uganda, Maybe I Should Go Abroad
“I Want More”—The Pull of Global Exposure and Personal Growth
Beyond the money, many young Ugandans are chasing personal development and global exposure. The truth is, something is refreshing about seeing new places, experiencing different cultures, and learning from global work environments. It opens your mind, standard and exposure to different views…but expensive.
Whether it’s working in healthcare in the Middle East, hospitality in Europe, or construction in Canada, there’s a desire to learn, grow, and maybe even come back home with new skills. Sometimes, it’s not an escape. It’s a mission. a “kill two birds with one stone” kind of thing.
Corruption and Governance—The Silent Deal Breaker for Many Youth
It’s hard to stay motivated in a system that feels broken. Corruption is a major issue that keeps coming up in conversations around why youth are leaving. Many feel like no matter how hard they work, the system is rigged to reward connections over competence. the “Oli mwana wa ani?” (whose kid are you) factor makes many young Ugandans feel like no matter how hard they work, toil or hustle, they will always be held back by a lack of favourable backgrounds and connections.
So what happens? Hope dwindles. Frustration rises. And suddenly, the idea of starting afresh in a new country doesn’t sound so crazy.
A recent poll by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation revealed that nearly 60% of African youth are considering emigrating from the continent within the next three years. Surveying 5,604 people aged 18-24 across 16 African nations, the 2024 African Youth Survey found corruption to be the primary obstacle to progress, with 83% concerned about it and 62% believing their governments are failing to address the issue. – Aljazeera
The “Study Abroad” Route
Then there’s the study-to-settle route. Many young Ugandans apply for student visas with the hope of transitioning into permanent work and residency. For them, education abroad is not just learning, but more of a ladder to a more stable life.
According to recent reports, over a third of African students intend to leave the continent after graduating. That includes plenty of Ugandans. And honestly? Can you blame them?
Should I Pursue My Master’s Degree in Uganda or Abroad
Regional Migration—Not Always Europe or America
Not all dreams fly to London or Toronto. Some settle in Kenya, Rwanda, or South Sudan—places with closer cultural ties and (sometimes) more vibrant economies. It’s a quieter migration, but it’s happening.
It’s not always about going “far”—just “somewhere better.”
According to the most recent Afrobarometer survey in Uganda, about one-third of Ugandans have considered emigration to other countries, although far fewer are actually making plans to leave. Young and educated citizens are among the most likely to consider moving abroad. Among potential emigrants, the largest number say they would move to another country within the East African region, generally in search of economic opportunity. – Young and educated Ugandans are most likely to consider emigration
However, this is where things get complicated. The mass movement of youth talent out of Uganda creates what experts call a brain drain. We’re losing skilled people—nurses, teachers, creatives, engineers—to other countries. And while remittances help the economy, the long-term effects can hurt development back home.
But then again, from the youth perspective, it’s not about abandoning Uganda—it’s about surviving. About chasing dreams. About reclaiming control to a better lifestyle.
Because when home no longer feels like a place you can grow, you look for fertile ground elsewhere.
And maybe, just maybe, one day we’ll create a Uganda so full of opportunity, ambition, and fairness… that staying will feel like the dream.
