Rights, aid groups denounce South Sudan’s sharp increase in visa fees for aid workers

‘Rights and aid agencies have censured South Sudan for its controversial decision to significantly raise the cost of foreign aid work permits as the crisis-wracked country is desperately struggling with an unprecedented famine and starvation that threaten millions of lives.
The government of the impoverished country unexpectedly announced in early March that it moved to increase foreign worker visa fees from $100 to as much as $10,000 per year, depending on the qualifications of the worker, with Minister of Information Michael Makuei arguing that Juba needed to make the change in order to raise government revenue.
The labor ministry, for its part, has already announced that it would charge foreigners $10,000 for working in a “professional” capacity, $2,000 for “blue collar” employees and $1,000 for “casual worker.”’
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