This week the government released the national labour migration policy for comment. The policy aims to introduce quotas on the total number of foreign workers with work visas who can be employed in sectors such as hospitality and tourism, agriculture and construction. The proposed law will, among other things, also ban foreigners from starting small businesses in certain sectors. I realise that this has become a populist issue, but the economics of it is a bad idea.
* The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.
