Parliament Receives 15,395 Submissions on Foreign Workers Bill
The Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour extended its email intake to 10 November after a flood of public responses.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Legislative Policy
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South Africa's Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour received 15,395 written submissions on the foreign workers bill by the close of consultation. The committee kept its email systems open until 10 November, four days past the 6 November deadline.
Why it matters
The bill would allow the Minister of Employment and Labour to set limits or quotas on the employment of foreign nationals in particular sectors, occupations or regions. The volume of responses has created a significant administrative challenge for the committee and its staff.
The committee logged 15,395 written submissions, including 422 detailed substantive submissions with attachments and more than 50 requests for oral presentations. Five further submissions arrived during the extension period, and the committee has not yet decided which speakers it will hear.
The players
Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour
A committee of South Africa's Parliament responsible for oversight of labour and employment legislation, which is handling public input on the foreign workers bill.
Minister of Employment and Labour
The South African cabinet minister whose office would gain the power to set limits or quotas on the employment of foreign nationals under the bill.
The details
Committee officials will consolidate the submissions into summary reports identifying main themes and stakeholder positions. The committee is considering holding at least one public hearing in every province.
Timeline
6 November: official consultation submission deadline.
10 November: extended email submission deadline closed.
Next year: Parliament resumes and the committee is expected to begin considering oral presentations.
Legislative Context
The bill extends South Africa's existing labour-migration framework by giving the Minister of Employment and Labour direct power to set sector, occupation and regional limits on foreign national employment. The scale of public response places the committee's scrutiny of these powers under considerable pressure.
If enacted, the bill would let the minister restrict the employment of foreign nationals in specific sectors, occupations or regions, which could affect employers who hire foreign workers. Members of the public can follow the committee's process as it moves toward oral hearings and provincial sessions.
The takeaway
Public input on the bill is substantial, and how the committee handles the volume of submissions will shape how fully stakeholder views are represented before lawmakers decide.
What happens next
The committee is expected to begin considering oral presentations when Parliament resumes next year.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Legislative Policy on the South Africa politics section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sunday World.
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