More than 231 000 foreign nationals found working at South African workplaces

A nationwide labour inspection has revealed that more than 231,000 foreign nationals are employed at workplaces across South Africa, with Gauteng recording the highest number.

The findings have brought renewed attention to employment patterns in the country, particularly the availability of entry-level jobs amid persistent unemployment and growing concerns about opportunities for local job seekers.

According to the Department of Employment and Labour’s Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) semester one report, 231,850 foreign nationals were employed across 21,371 workplaces identified during inspections of 168,766 workplaces by the end of the second quarter of the 2026/27 financial year.

Gauteng leads in foreign national employment figures

Gauteng recorded the highest number, with 59,624 foreign nationals employed at inspected workplaces.

North West followed with 58,533, while the Western Cape recorded 34,675.

The remaining provincial figures were:

• Limpopo: 24,972
• Eastern Cape: 20,385
• KwaZulu-Natal: 13,295
• Mpumalanga: 11,560
• Free State: 5,173
• Northern Cape: 3,571
• Head Office: 62

The figures highlight the distribution of foreign national employment across the country, with Gauteng and North West accounting for particularly large numbers.

Agriculture and retail account for the highest numbers

Agriculture emerged as the sector employing the most foreign nationals, with 46,533 workers across 1,205 employers.

Wholesale and retail came second, recording 41,359 foreign nationals across 6,698 employers.

Other industries featuring among the top 10 included community services, manufacturing, hospitality, construction, mining, private security, financial services and education.

Inspector General of the IES, Aggy Moiloa, raised concerns about the concentration of foreign nationals in entry-level positions, arguing that these are jobs that could potentially be occupied by South African workers.

Labour department calls for stronger enforcement

Moiloa was speaking at the Department of Employment and Labour’s 2026 Public Employment Services (PES) National Strategic Planning Conference in Rustenburg, North West.

Her address focused on strengthening cooperation between the PES and IES branches in enforcing the Employment Services Act, as amended.

She stressed that effective enforcement would require greater collaboration and sufficient capacity across both branches.

The department is also looking towards Project 10 000, an initiative expected to support the recruitment of additional inspectors and strengthen workplace enforcement.

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