The number Zimbabweans seeking permits into Botswana has kept dropping since last year, a development authorities have attributed to stabilisation of the economy and stringent immigration laws by the host country.
A recent report by Statistics Botswana office (SBO) revealed that Zimbabwe work permit holders in that country decreased to 7 506 from 7 743 at the beginning of the year, while South Africans and Chinese increased slightly from the previous figures.
Latest figures released by SBO show that total work permit holders decreased from 20 118 in June 2010 to 17 420 by September before further going down again to 17 286 by December last year.
“The formation of the inclusive government two years ago, as well as the dollarisation of the economy saw the Zimbabwean economy stabilising, leading to some of the so-called ‘economic refugees’ in Botswana going back home,” reads part of the SBO report.
The SBO also said the new stringent requirements for work and study permits by Botswana resulted in the decline in applications.
According to the report, in December last year there were 17 286 work permit holders comprising 11 966 formal employees and 5 320 employed in the informal sector.
The report said then the largest number of work permit holders were Zimbabweans with 7 506 persons (43,4%) followed by Chinese with 3 280 persons (19%) and South Africans with 1 787 persons (10, 3%) respectively.
The report showed that agriculture had the highest number of permit holders with 3 660 people, followed by construction with 3 075, real estate with 1 287 persons and manufacturing with 848 persons.
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“Real estate was the dominant activity for self-employed work permit holders with 1 467 persons followed by wholesale and retail trade with 1 456 and manufacturing with 742 persons,” said the report.
