Government has invited applications from foreigners for 23 000 jobs - among them 2 500 ICT posts - in SA.
It recently issued a list of professions that foreign nationals with suitable qualifications can apply for through quota work permits, allowing them to enter the country without having secured employment.
Among these is a call for 1 000 silicon and microchip developers and 1 500 software developers, who share the list with maths and science teachers, jewellery designers, risk managers and construction and civil engineers, among others - 56 professions in total.
An announcement by public service and administration minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi revealed that foreign professionals would be pitted against South Africans in the local job market, in a country that puts its official unemployment rate at more than 30%.
Economic growth
Home Affairs head of communications Skosana Sibuyi says the department identified the need to attract "scarce" skills into the country, which prompted the initiative.
Sibuyi says the programme is partially aimed at skills and knowledge transfer, but its main thrust is to accelerate SA`s economic growth to 6% by 2010, and reduce poverty and unemployment by 50% by 2014.
The work permits, he explains, are issued according to an annual quota, determined by the national critical skills list, as a response to scarcity or necessity of a particular skill in the country. The programme will be ongoing and government will release revised quotas every year.
Successful applicants would be filtered into the private and public sectors, Sibuyi says, adding that individual employers would determine whether a position is permanent or contract.
Government will not make any specific effort to attract South African expatriates back into the country, but Sibuyi adds that South Africans "are always welcome" to return.
BEE strategy
When asked whether this means affirmative action and black empowerment strategies are being waived, he would only say this was part of government`s strategy to attract much-needed skills. However, the programme does not discriminate between black and white applicants.
Foreign nationals would be allowed to apply at a foreign mission abroad or at Home Affairs offices in SA. Foreign nationals who are already in the country and possess the needed skills may also apply for work quota permits.
Org Geldenhuys, Abacus Recruitment MD, says it is understandable that government is seeking to attract silicon and microchip developers into the country, as these skills are lacking, but questioned why software developers would be sought.
"We have an interesting problem here. On one hand we are pushing affirmative action and now we are importing foreigners - while many locals can`t get jobs. That leaves a very bad taste in your mouth," he states. He adds that unemployed whites should get preference over foreigners.
"Yes, we need skills, but not at the cost of locals. This can`t just be a blanket initiative that covers general skills and knowledge. We will have a riot on our hands if this happens."
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