Kenyans hoping to move to the United States through the Diversity Visa Lottery have been given details on the work experience they need if they do not have a secondary school qualification.
The US Department of State says applicants who do not have a high school diploma or an equivalent qualification may still qualify through their work history.
However, not every job counts towards the requirement.
An applicant must have at least two years of work experience in a qualifying occupation. The experience must have been gained within the five years before applying for the Diversity Visa programme.
The occupation must also have a Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) rating of 7.0 or higher under the US Department of Labor’s O*NET OnLine database.
O*NET is used to classify occupations based on the level of preparation, skills and experience required to perform different jobs.
This means an applicant cannot rely on the number of years they have worked alone. The type of job and its classification are also considered when determining eligibility.
Applicants who intend to qualify through employment are therefore advised to check their occupation on the O*NET database before submitting an application.
The requirement becomes particularly important during the visa interview, when applicants may be required to provide evidence showing that they meet the eligibility conditions.
Anyone who fails to meet either the education requirement or the qualifying work experience requirement can be disqualified from the programme.
The decision can also affect family members included in the application, as they would not be issued visas if the principal applicant is found ineligible.
Selection in the Diversity Visa Lottery does not automatically mean that an applicant will receive a US immigrant visa. Selected applicants must still meet the programme’s requirements and pass the necessary stages of the visa process.
Kenya remains one of the African countries with a significant number of Diversity Visa selections. For the 2026 programme, 3,949 Kenyans were reportedly selected.
Those selected must satisfy the relevant requirements before they can proceed with the immigration process.