EAC states to open up labour markets as part of protocol

East African governments hope to open up all job opportunities for fair competition among the region’s citizens even as concern rises that retaining national immigration laws in the signed common market protocol could restrict movement of labour.

Officials maintain that faster processing of work permits will significantly ease access to employment opportunities available in the region.

The common market protocol signed by regional heads of state allows member countries to apply national laws on matters of land access, immigration and business establishment.

However, officials say its spirit places the responsibility on member states to ensure free movement of labour and other factors of production without discrimination based on nationality.

“If anyone in the members states sees a job posting in whichever country, they are guaranteed a fair employment opportunity just as the local of that country,” said Barrack Ndegwa, a director at Kenya’s EAC ministry.

According to the common market protocol, work permits for any East African seeking a job contract of more than 90 days will be processed and issued in the first 30 days.

Currently, getting a work permit is a long process with no guarantee of success.

Tanzania has been mentioned as one of the most problematic states when it comes to restricting work permits for Kenyans.

On the other hand, Rwanda has been more receptive to job seekers, having waived this requirement for all professionals a few years ago to help rebuild its war ravaged economy.

However, the cross border jobs will be determined by individual country’s human capital requirement.

Each country has highlighted the human capital needs according to the International Labour Organisation job classification.

This job schedule agreement will run until 2015, when it will be reviewed, though a yearly monitoring plan has been put in place.

For instance Tanzania says it wants professionals such as lecturers for higher education, teachers for both primary and early childhood education and civil engineers in 2010.

Railway construction engineers and teachers in the science field as well as foreign languages are also eligible for hire in 2012 and 2015 respectively.

Kenya and Uganda are open for most of the job cluster next year spanning across administrators and managers such chief executive officers, vice chancellors and different specialised personnel such as IT finance and so on.

Nonetheless, the common market has the right to limit movement of labour or otherwise on the basis of public policy, public security or public health and must appropriately notify partner states.

Elijah Achoch who works with a local labour think-tank however says there is a mutual perception that foreign nationals will take jobs belonging to locals.

Kenyans are viewed as highly skilled hence the fear of swamping other countries.

In his view, xenophobia may be experienced in the initial stages of the process, but countries need to have a ready evacuation plan for their citizens.

The youth also have reason to celebrate signing of the protocol.

“The summit received a report on the development of a regional youth employment programme and adopted the declaration on employment creation and poverty reduction with a special focus on youth,” said the communiqué of the 11th ordinary summit of EAC heads of state last week.

A study released one week before the signing of the EAC protocol, shows that there is low awareness of what the East African Community really means to the ordinary citizen.

“The process has been politically driven. The leaders have done their part, what now remains is a lot of sensitisation of the man on the street,” said Mr Achoch.