Massive visa backlog crippling South Africa
Skilled workers, tourists and prospective retirees are all being blocked from entering South Africa due to continued delays in processing visas – all while the government drags its feet in resolving the problems.
This has been highlighted by companies trying to import critical skills and firms trying to help foreign retirees enter the country – with the former director general of Home Affairs, Mavuso Msimang, adding his voice to the growing concerns.
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) noted late last year that it had amassed a backlog of over 60,000 visa applications that it was struggling to process. The department said it is only expecting to clear the backlog by mid-2024 at the earliest.
The DHA did provide some relief to visa applicants by extending the validity of certain visa types to December 2023, but only those that were valid before March 2023.
According to Stefanie de Saude Darbandi, an Immigration and Citizenship Law Specialist at DSD Attorneys, while this helps those who qualify, the exclusion of visas processed after March 2023 puts thousands of migrants at risk.
“By (excluding visa applicants who filed applications after March 2023 from the new blanket waiver), the Minister has only exacerbated the already pressing issue of delayed processing,” she said,
“Consequently, many foreigners find themselves in a precarious situation, where they are forced to overstay their visas, inadvertently becoming illegal residents, and ultimately banned from re-entering the country, should they exit the country before receiving their visas or being issued with visas which have already expired – which is the astonishing fate that often befalls short term visa applicants (tourists) who contribute to our economy by spending their money here.”
The immigration expert characterised the DHA’s response to visa applications as “callous” and demonstrating a lack of empathy towards migrants.
“Such a dismissive attitude towards their plight is not only unjust but also detrimental to our country’s reputation. It is natural to question whether there is a hidden agenda behind these actions. The lack of transparency and apparent disregard for the well-being of applicants and tourists raise legitimate concerns about the motivations behind these decisions,” she said.
“As the custodian of the Immigration Act, the Minister of Home Affairs holds immense responsibility in shaping the country’s immigration policies. One cannot ignore the stark contrast between South Africa’s approach to immigration and that of leading first-world countries.
“It is imperative for the Minister to recognise that prioritising political interests over the welfare of South Africa and its people will only lead to further stagnation and missed opportunities. Embracing a more welcoming approach, akin to that of countries like Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, would attract much-needed foreign talent, creating a positive ripple effect on the economy and society.”
The immigration specialist’s comments come as several countries – like Germany, Ireland and Canada – all reform their immigration policies and laws to make it easier to draw critical skills and wealthy individuals to their shores.
The Irish government recently held a large hiring drive in South Africa, looking for skilled engineers and contractors. Germany, meanwhile, is actively seeking medical and nursing skills and isn’t afraid to dip into South Africa’s pool of skilled workers eager to make an exit amid the uncertainty of the country’s coming National Healthcare Insurance scheme being steamrolled through government.
Meanwhile, back home, companies have described the process of getting skilled workers across South Africa’s borders as a nightmare.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, former director general of Home Affairs, Mavuso Msimang, said that the critical skills shortage in the country is one of the biggest blockages to economic growth and that it was “really worrying” that the government was dragging its feet to address the issue.
He said that he had submitted a report to President Cyril Ramaphosa with 22 recommendations on how to cut red tape and simplify the visa process to make it easier to get these skills into the country.
The government is aware of the problems with visas and the blockages at the DHA – but little has been done. The DHA, meanwhile, made a “supreme blunder” by centralising visa processing, he said, which its offices were not equipped for. The backlog is likely upwards of 50,000 visas by now, he added.
De Saude Darbandi said that businesses and stakeholders were ready to work with the government to resolve the issues – but this requires a willing and able DHA.
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