The Democratic Republic of Congo is tightening controls on the stay of foreign nationals in its main economic basins. According to an official dispatch dated October 19, 2026, the Directorate General of Migration proceeded with the expulsion of 114 Chinese and Filipino nationals apprehended in the provinces of Lualaba and Haut-Katanga.
The operation led to the apprehension of 70 people in Kolwezi, the capital of Lualaba, and 44 others in Lubumbashi, in Haut-Katanga. The repatriation took place over several days, until Sunday, October 18, with the departure of the last group from Luano international airport, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight bound for Addis Ababa, before their onward transport to their respective countries.
Tourist visas diverted from their purpose
According to the information reported, several of the nationals concerned are said to have entered the DRC with tourist visas obtained in their countries of origin, before settling there and carrying out professional activities without holding the required authorizations.
This situation raises the question of compliance with the rules governing immigration and the exercise of professional activities by foreigners. In the DRC, staying on national territory and holding a job or carrying out an economic activity are subject to separate legal and administrative requirements.
In a context where Lualaba and Haut-Katanga concentrate a significant share of the country’s mining activities and trade, controlling migration flows is a challenge for the authorities. These provinces host many economic operators, investors, technicians and foreign workers whose presence must fall within the applicable regulatory framework.
The mining sector also concerned
This operation comes a few weeks after the expulsion of seven Chinese nationals in Lualaba, cited in information relating to illegal activities in the mineral trade. Both operations recall the challenges linked to controlling the economic activities carried out by certain foreign nationals in mining areas.
For the authorities, the challenge is to enforce the legal provisions relating to immigration and professional activities, without confusing the fight against irregularities with the legal presence of foreign investors and workers.
Beyond the expulsions, the effectiveness of this policy will depend in particular on the regularity of controls, coordination between the competent services and compliance with administrative procedures. In these two provinces at the heart of the Congolese mining industry, the application of migration rules thus remains an issue of economic governance.
Héritier Maila
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