Govt Reinforces Local Employment Compliance Across Zambia’s Mining Industry
Zambia Enforces Employment Laws Requiring Mining Companies to Prioritise Zambian Workers
The Zambian Government has intensified enforcement of legal provisions requiring employers particularly in the mining sector to prioritise Zambian citizens when filling job vacancies.
Minister of Labour and Social Security Brenda Mwika Tambatamba told Parliament that the requirement is firmly grounded in the Employment Code Act No. 3 of 2019.
The law obliges employers to recruit qualified Zambians unless no suitable citizen is available or no citizen applies for the position.
She made the remarks during a debate in the Parliament of Zambia, following a motion raised by Kamfinsa Member of Parliament Christopher Kang’ombe.
The motion sought clarification on the enforcement of Section 10(2) of the Geological and Minerals Development Act No. 2 of 2025, which mandates mining companies to give first preference to Zambian citizens in recruitment.
Legal Framework and Skills Transfer Requirements
Tambatamba explained that the statutory framework clearly prioritises citizen employment across all sectors, including mining. The recruitment of expatriates is permitted only where there is a demonstrable skills gap.
“Recruitment of expatriates is permissible only where there is a demonstrable absence of suitable citizen applicants, and such recruitment must support structured skills transfer to local employees,” she stated.
The Minister said her ministry has strengthened enforcement mechanisms through routine labour inspections, compliance monitoring and closer scrutiny of recruitment practices within mining companies.
Enforcement efforts are further reinforced through coordination with the Department of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, in accordance with the Immigration and Deportation Act No. 18 of 2010.
Before an employment permit is granted to a non-citizen, employers must demonstrate that reasonable efforts were made to recruit qualified Zambians and that the required skills are not readily available locally.
Mining Sector Employment Statistics
Meanwhile, Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Paul Kabuswe informed the House that Zambians currently account for 97% of direct and contractual employment in the mining sector, with expatriates comprising approximately 3%.
Kabuswe reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to enforcing citizen employment provisions through the Local Content Bill and the Geological and Minerals Development Act No. 2 of 2025.
The renewed emphasis on enforcement underscores the Government’s broader policy objective of maximising local participation, strengthening skills development and ensuring that the benefits of Zambia’s mineral resources translate into domestic economic opportunities.
