The Effects of Migration on Employment Patterns in South Africa

Abstract Book of the 10th International Conference on Research in Management

Year: 2026

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The Effects of Migration on Employment Patterns in South Africa

Prof. Dr. Ireen Choga, Hloma Sidlova

ABSTRACT:

Migration continues to be one of the factors that shape labour markets, immigration can potentially increase labour supply and cause shifts in wages and employment levels. Understanding the relationship between migration and employment patterns is important for policymakers in South Africa since the country receives an influx of immigrants. Therefore, this study delves on the effects of migration on employment patterns in South Africa. The study used the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) econometric model to analyse secondary to examine the long-run and short-run relationships between migration and employment. Empirical results revealed a significant long-run relationship between migration and employment patterns. The study also finds bi-directional causality between employment and GDP, but not between migration and employment. The findings contribute to understanding the complex relationship between migration and labour markets in South Africa, providing valuable insights for policymakers. Thus, policymakers can develop targeted immigration policies that prioritise migrants whose skills complement the domestic labour market needs. Policymakers should invest in detailed labour market and migration data collection, incorporating informal sector employment and migration dynamics to better capture the real effects migration has on employment.

Keywords: Migration, Employment Patterns, South Africa, Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL),