All foreigners in the country are required by law to register with the Ministry of Labour, Public Service and Human Resource Development before December this year.
The registration exercise is scheduled to start by this week and centers for that will be announced publicly, The Minister in Charge Lt-Gen. Gathok Gatkuoth Hothnyang said.
He announced that while the country appreciated the role played by foreigners in the development of the economy, the law of the land should not be compromised and must be respected by all.
“All foreigners are required to register by the Ministry from this week. We shall give them ample time to do so, but from December we shall apply the laws and deport those who have not registered.
Since its independence in 2011, South Sudan has experienced the largest influx of foreigners into the country. Some are illegal while others are not, Minister Hothnyang while speaking to Juba Monitor in an exclusive interview in his office said that foreigners working in the country “must” get registered with the Ministry of Labour and hold Identity card which will be provided on registration or face deportation.
He made this remarks while responding to a question raised that foreigners were taking jobs that could be done by the locals. He further explained that this measure was being taken to safeguard against insecurity, health and job security for the locals.
He said that foreign labour was accepted but the Ministry was working to organize the situation and to know how many foreigners were working and living in the country.
“We welcome development brought by foreigners working in our country, the reason why we are introducing the identity cards for those legally working or doing business in the country”. It would also help the Government to know which field and organization they were working for. All foreigners must carry identity cards,” said the minister.
“From December any foreigner found without the card will be deported. These are the measures we are taking from now to make sure any foreigner working in the country is registered, we shall do the excises diplomatically and without harassment “the minister said.
The move has been welcomed by some foreigners working in the country. Speaking to, Charles Oprah, in Juba he said that this will help crack down foreigners who have turned to criminal acts.
Mababazi Lilly who runs a stationery shop in Malakia, hopes that the crackdown would be done peacefully and with civility it deserves.
“Registering foreigners is a good idea and we hope the task force that shall do the work will carry on peacefully,” said Lily
South Sudan is home to foreigners from across the world like Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, India, DRC, Eritrea, United Kingdom, and Ethiopia among other

Source: Juba Monitor