Gov’t Reveals Pending Job Openings in Immigration Department
The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Jack Mwiimbu, has announced that approximately 1,460 job opportunities have been generated within the Department of Immigration, with over 700 positions still awaiting recruitment.
Speaking at the 2023 Senior and Regional Immigration Officers’ Annual Conference in Livingstone, Minister Mwiimbu disclosed that despite recent recruitments of Immigration Assistants and Border Guards in 2023, a significant number of positions remain unfilled.
He emphasized the ministry’s commitment to securing treasury authority for the remaining vacancies to address staffing shortages.
Moreover, Minister Mwiimbu directed a review of the Immigration and Deportation Act to prioritize initiatives aimed at enhancing staff welfare and upgrading border infrastructure to bolster public service delivery.
In other developments, Director General of Immigration, Dr. Japhet Lishomwa, reported a substantial increase in entries into Zambia through various ports of entry. The recorded 2,227,073 entries marked a significant 50.3% rise compared to figures from 2022.
Dr. Lishomwa attributed this surge to the waiver of visa requirements for 43 countries implemented in November 2022, primarily aiming to boost tourism.
However, while foreign arrivals saw a notable increase, the issuance of visas experienced a decline. Only 112,466 visas were issued, reflecting a 25.9% decrease compared to 2022.
Despite this decline, Dr. Lishomwa remained optimistic about the positive impact of visa waivers on tourism and international relations.
The Senior and Regional Immigration Officers’ Annual Conference serves as a pivotal platform for assessing past performance and charting future strategies.
This year’s five-day conference, themed ‘Exploring the Synergies between Migration and Sustainable Socio-Economic Development through a Professional Immigration Service,’ aligns with the government’s overarching theme of ‘Unlocking Economic Potential’ for 2024.
