Critical aspects in terms of duration and conditions of employment, reliance of the sector on foreign labour, impact on local workers’ wages, social rights, and benefits’ portability remain largely under-researched. While the South African Domestic and Services Allied Workers Union (SADSAWU) has adopted a national strategy, protection remains limited in practice in a sector characterised by high levels of decent work deficits for all workers, and in particular immigrant workers. The remaining columns represent the differences between the native-born and foreign-bom sectoral employment shares.