The South African Cabinet has approved the tabling of a new bill in Parliament aimed at limiting the employment of foreign nationals, as part of broader efforts to address rising unemployment among citizens.
According to Eyewitness News, Cabinet also approved the National Labour Migration Policy White Paper.
The policy sets quotas on how many documented foreign nationals businesses can hire in sectors like agriculture, hospitality, tourism, and construction.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni announced the decisions during a briefing at Parliament on Thursday 29 May.
She said the policy aims to balance employment across sectors and address public concerns about job opportunities.
Linked reforms to limit foreign-run businesses
Ntshavheni said the migration policy works alongside other government measures.
These include limiting business visas for foreign nationals in certain sectors and changing the National Small Enterprise Act.
These changes aim to prevent foreign nationals from establishing small, medium and micro enterprises in some areas of the economy.
New bill to regulate foreign employment and labour brokers
Cabinet also approved the tabling of the Employment Services Amendment Bill. The bill aims to create a legal framework to regulate the employment of foreign nationals.
The bill would give the employment minister the power to set quotas. It would also tighten controls on labour brokers to stop the exploitation of undocumented workers.
In a further directive, Cabinet instructed the Minister of Employment and Labour to expedite consultations to define what constitutes scarce and critical skills in the country.
This process will help build local skills and create more job opportunities for South Africans in key areas.
Do you think limiting the number of foreign workers will help more South Africans get jobs, or could it cause problems for the economy?
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