News / Africa
Less Zimbabwean expats prefer Botswana
04 Oct 2011 at 03:21hrs | Views
The number of work permit holders continues to decline, albeit at a slower rate, with just over 17,000 permit holders recorded by March this year from over 20,000 at the same time last year.
According to figures released by Statistics Botswana (SB), the total number of work permit holders recorded as active by the end of March 2011 was 17,177 a 15 percent decline from the March 2010 figures.
After a heavy 13 percent fall in the number of permit holders between June and September last year, figures show that the rate of decline is slowing down with the decrease at a mere 0.6 percent between December 2010 and March this year and 0.8 percent in the third quarter last year.
As at March this year, the largest work permit holders were Zimbabweans with 7,193 persons (41.9 percent), followed by Chinese and South Africans with 3,448 persons (20.1 percent) and 1,799 persons (10.5 percent) respectively.
The declining trend, which started last year, indicates that the number of expatriates in the country is decreasing and this can be attributed to a number of factors. In a statement released with the data, SB says that information on work permit holders gives an indication of whether the idea of localization is being achieved or not and it is also of interest to know whether the number of work permit holders is decreasing or not over time.
Apart from localisation, the formation of the inclusive government two years ago, as well the dollarisation of the currency in Zimbabwe, which dominates the number of expatriates in the country, has seen that economy stabilise leading to some of the so-called "economic refugees" in Botswana returning home.
On the other hand the new rigorous requirements have also contributed to the decrease in work permit holders as the process of acquiring one has become more difficult.
Of the 17,177 active permit holders by March this year 11,782 (68.6 percent) were employees while 5,395 (31.4 percent) were self-employed while the overall proportion of female work permit holders is lower than that of males. Under the employees' category, statistics show that the highest numbers of expatriates are employed in the agriculture and construction industry.
"For the employees, agriculture has the highest number of permit holders with 3,540 persons (30.0 percent), followed by construction with 3,133 persons (26.6 Percent), real estate with 1,133 persons (9.6 percent) and manufacturing with 811 persons (6.9 percent)," reads the report. On the other hand wholesale and retail trade was the dominant activity for self-employed work permits holders with 1,499 persons (27.8 percent) followed by real estate with 1,485 (27.5 percent) and manufacturing with 734 persons (13.6 percent).
In both types of permits, males dominated in almost all industries except in private households (employees) and education (self-employed).
SB however says that although all work permit forms received by their office by the end of March 2011 were processed and entered into the database, those valid on the reference dates may still arrive after the publication of the report.
According to figures released by Statistics Botswana (SB), the total number of work permit holders recorded as active by the end of March 2011 was 17,177 a 15 percent decline from the March 2010 figures.
After a heavy 13 percent fall in the number of permit holders between June and September last year, figures show that the rate of decline is slowing down with the decrease at a mere 0.6 percent between December 2010 and March this year and 0.8 percent in the third quarter last year.
As at March this year, the largest work permit holders were Zimbabweans with 7,193 persons (41.9 percent), followed by Chinese and South Africans with 3,448 persons (20.1 percent) and 1,799 persons (10.5 percent) respectively.
The declining trend, which started last year, indicates that the number of expatriates in the country is decreasing and this can be attributed to a number of factors. In a statement released with the data, SB says that information on work permit holders gives an indication of whether the idea of localization is being achieved or not and it is also of interest to know whether the number of work permit holders is decreasing or not over time.
Apart from localisation, the formation of the inclusive government two years ago, as well the dollarisation of the currency in Zimbabwe, which dominates the number of expatriates in the country, has seen that economy stabilise leading to some of the so-called "economic refugees" in Botswana returning home.
On the other hand the new rigorous requirements have also contributed to the decrease in work permit holders as the process of acquiring one has become more difficult.
Of the 17,177 active permit holders by March this year 11,782 (68.6 percent) were employees while 5,395 (31.4 percent) were self-employed while the overall proportion of female work permit holders is lower than that of males. Under the employees' category, statistics show that the highest numbers of expatriates are employed in the agriculture and construction industry.
"For the employees, agriculture has the highest number of permit holders with 3,540 persons (30.0 percent), followed by construction with 3,133 persons (26.6 Percent), real estate with 1,133 persons (9.6 percent) and manufacturing with 811 persons (6.9 percent)," reads the report. On the other hand wholesale and retail trade was the dominant activity for self-employed work permits holders with 1,499 persons (27.8 percent) followed by real estate with 1,485 (27.5 percent) and manufacturing with 734 persons (13.6 percent).
In both types of permits, males dominated in almost all industries except in private households (employees) and education (self-employed).
SB however says that although all work permit forms received by their office by the end of March 2011 were processed and entered into the database, those valid on the reference dates may still arrive after the publication of the report.
Source - The Monitor
