BEIRUT,  (Xinhua) — Lebanese Labor Minister Camille Abousleiman said his ministry was capable of securing 1,000 to 1,200 job opportunities for the Lebanese since July 10, Al Joumhouria local newspaper reported on Monday. “A lot of Lebanese companies announced that they have replaced their foreign workers with local ones and a big number of unemployed Lebanese youths in different areas were capable of finding a job,” Abousleiman said. Abousleiman added that it has become very familiar to see posts by Lebanese companies and shops all over Lebanon requesting local employees which encourages the ministry to continue with its strategy. The minister said that a website that helps people in finding jobs in the hospitality and restaurants sector received since July 10 around 35,000 job applications. The labor ministry has started since July 10 with the implementation of a strategy aimed at forcing local companies and businesses to replace their foreign employees with local ones to curb the high unemployment rate among the Lebanese in the country. The ministry’s strategy comes after the big competition faced by Lebanese workers because of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Ola Boutros, advisor to the foreign affairs minister, announced last year that 270,000 Lebanese people have lost their jobs after 384,000 Syrian refugees poured into the country’s employment market.