South Africa announces work permit quotas

South Africa, which has experienced large growth in key job sectors, has announced the availability of 34,825 work permits in 53 occupations experiencing sharp labor shortages.

Home Affairs Minister, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, announced the quotas last week, which will be available mainly in the fields of civil engineering, math and science teaching, health care, architecture, and metal-working.

South Africa is gearing up for the hosting of the FIFA World Cup in 2010, spurring the construction sector and other related fields as new hotels are being built to accommodate the visitors. South Africa rates as one of the top five tourist destinations in the world, as well as having an energetic mining and manufacturing industry.

Those with the needed qualifications and experience will be able to come to South Africa and seek employment without first having a job offer. Employers will not be required to show that a South African could not be found before securing employment for the skilled migrant.

"Every effort has been made to simplify the process so that we can get as many skilled people into the economy as quickly as possible," said Mapisa-Nqakula.

She also admitted that the government had probably been under-publicizing the quotas. The private sector had only taken up 10 percent of the previous year's alloted work permits.

The work permits are issued annually according to a yearly quota defined by areas that show a stark shortage in needed skills. Those who acquire a work permit must find employment within ninety days of the permit being issued.

South Africa has a history of "brain drain" since apartheid was abolished in the early 90's. Many highly skilled South Africans have left the country to find work abroad while the existing workforce in the country continues to age.

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