• DRC raises foreign worker quotas in key sectors up to 6.5%
• New rules apply by company, not job category, replacing 2005 decree
• Employers must comply or face fines; exemptions aimed to ease skills gap
  

Just before leaving his post, Ephraim Akwakwa, the former Minister of Employment and Labor, signed a decree on Aug. 5, 2025, that sets new maximum quotas for foreign workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The new text modifies a 2005 decree by raising the percentage of foreign nationals allowed within companies.

Several key sectors have seen their ceilings increase. Agriculture, extractive industries, manufacturing, and construction can now employ foreign workers up to 6.5% of their total workforce. Under the 2005 decree, the applicable rates for these sectors ranged from 2% to 2.5%, depending on the position.

Conversely, banks, real estate, commerce, transportation, and information technology are now limited to a 4% foreign workforce, up from ceilings of 0% to 2% in 2005. Unlike the previous law, the new percentages are no longer defined by job categories, such as management, supervisors, or directors, but apply to a company's entire staff.

According to a sector expert, this revision addresses a long-standing request from employers. In certain industries, like mining, where local technical expertise is scarce, the previous quotas often failed to meet operational needs, forcing companies to constantly request exemptions. The adjustment is therefore designed to better align regulations with market realities.

The new decree reinforces that Article 323 of the Labor Code punishes those who violate regulations on protecting the national workforce with a month of penal servitude or a fine of up to 25,000 Congolese francs. The ministry's intent is to compel employers to adhere to the new rules and prioritize Congolese labor.

Additionally, as reported by Bankable, Article 1, paragraph 2 of the new decree specifies that, in accordance with the ministerial decree no. 047/CAB.VPM/METPS/2015 of Oct. 8, 2015, private placement services are authorized to employ up to 15% foreign workers. These private firms specialize in recruiting and providing personnel for other companies.