TimesLive reports that the government wants to introduce quotas on the total number of documented foreign nationals with work visas who can be employed in major economic sectors.
These include agriculture, hospitality and tourism, and construction. Employment and labour minister Thulas Nxesi released the National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP) for public comment on Monday. The NLMP, together with proposed legislation, will among other things ban foreigners from starting small businesses in certain sectors. Nxesi explained: “We have researched extensively and benchmarked internationally in search of policy based on best practice. It has become increasingly apparent, with the rapid expansion of international migration flows, that SA needs to develop appropriate policy effectively to manage this. SA is not immune to international migration trends as well as attempts to exploit this for political gain.” He said an effective NLMP was the government’s response to this and aimed to address South Africans’ expectations regarding access to work opportunities, given worsening unemployment and the perception that foreigners were distorting labour market access. Public consultations will take a maximum of 90 days. The NLMP goes hand-in-hand with the proposed Employment Services Amendment Bill, which will provide a policy framework and the legal basis to regulate the extent to which employers can employ foreign nationals in their establishments while protecting the rights of migrants. The minister will establish a quota in a sector after consultation with the Employment Services Board and after considering public comments.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Andisiwe Makinana at TimesLive
- Read too, Labour Migration Bill to impose quotas on foreign national workers, at Engineering News
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page