The total number of foreign employees working for the government sector in 2013 was recorded at 956, compared with 986 employees in 2012, marking a 3% decrease, according to a Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) report issued on Monday. Economic expert at the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR) Omneya Helmi said that the decrease can be attributed to the currently unstable economic and political situation. She added that it is expected that the number of foreign employees in the government sector would decrease since the unemployment level in Egypt have reached up to 13.4%. Of the total number of foreigners working in the sector, 499, or 52.2%, are European, 21.4% are American and the remaining 1.7% are from the Oceanic countries. A total of 539 foreigners work in the Holding Company for Natural Gas, or 56.4%. A total of 320 foreign employees work in public authorities, or 33.5%, the majority of whom work in the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation and Radio and Television union. According to CAPMAS, 73.1% of foreigners working in both the public and public business sectors have renewed their work licences. A total of 257 foreigners have obtained their work licences for the first time, or 26.9%, in 2013.
