Eala joins calls for uniform removal of work permit fees

The East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) has joined the calls for removal of work permit fees hardly one month after the official deadline for opening of the region’s borders for free movement of labour passed.

The regional assembly recommends that individual States should move faster to ease cross border movement of citizens.

“This should be fast-tracked by uniformly abolishing work or residence permit fees as well as the facilitation of portability of social benefits, which has started on bilateral basis by some partner states,” Eala’s committee on general purpose said in a report on a petition for free movement of labour.

Under the Common Market protocol that guarantees free movement or exchange of factors of production, the East African Community gave itself an ambitious timeline of up to December 31, 2015 to make implied reforms, which including abolishing work permit fees.

The countries were also expected to fully liberalise their labour and capital markets by December.

Only Rwanda has walked most of the talk. Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda have lately been working under a trilateral pact to grant citizens some of the rights under the Common Market protocol without having to keep up with the slow pace of Tanzania and Burundi.

Early last year, East African workers and employers submitted a petition to the regional assembly asking that the fees be abolished, permits be processed within 30 days with preference given to residents and free movement of all workers across the region by 2017.

The cost of a permit in Tanzania ranges between Sh525 and Sh262,500 ($6 and $3,000). In Burundi, it ranges between Sh5,250 and Sh7,350 ($60 and $84).

Recently-elected Tanzania President John Magufuli was quoted saying that he wants to end haphazard issuance of work permits, adding that foreigners should not be engaged on tasks that locals can handle easily.

The EAC committee said the issue of work permits remains a function of individual nations. It asked the petitioners to lobby their governments to drop the restrictions.

The East African Common Market Protocol which was ratified in 2010 provides for free movement of workers but the governments have retained the permits on policy, health and security concerns.

It had been expected that free movement of persons across the region would be possible by end of last year.

Kenyans are particularly keen to see the waiver of permit fees in countries like Tanzania where thousands of teachers earn their living.

The five partner states have been working to have a common market as they aim towards a political federation, common currency and other features like common visas.