Foreign workforce limit determined

During Saturday`s Cabinet meeting the issue of importing workforces in 2013, and the proportion of qualified personnel among them and extension of workforce agreements for large construction projects and programs was discussed. A decree was passed on the matter.

The decree passed by the Government determines the proportion of foreign workers and qualified personnel in companies and units which operates in Mongolia and specified that the foreign workforce does not exceed 5 percent of total employees.

The company or unit must be responsible for conducting medical examinations and surveys in advance when hiring foreign workers. During the cabinet meeting the Minister of Health N.Udval was given the order to take care of the issue.

Previously foreign workforces and qualified personnel did not have to go through medical examinations when they were hired by Mongolian companies. Only workers and qualified personnel from the Democratic People"s Republic of Korea (DPRK) had to have medical examinations when they were hired by Mongolian employers.

Currently, ongoing workforce agreements and work permits in some mining, factory and hospitals were extended until March 31st 2013.

According to a study, by November 1st 2012 22,284 foreigners from 103 countries were being employed in Mongolia.

Some 70 percent of them are from China, 8 DPRK , 3 Russia and 2 South Korea, Vietnam and USA.

The foreign workforce’s main sectors are construction, mining exploration, transportation, warehouse, trade, service and education.

On the Government`s decree 50 units and companies granted work permits to 31,624 foreigners in 2012.

And some 10,218 foreign employees worked in Mongolia. Over one thousand four hundred of these were free from workplace charges.

A total of 51 billion MNT by November 1st 2012 have been collected from foreign workforces charges in the Employment Support Fund according to a study.