Business Times reports that businesses looking to hire talent from outside SA are optimistic about the introduction by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) of a Trusted Employer Scheme to make the process easier, but are frustrated by current backlogs in the work visa system.
According to Xpatweb MD Marisa Jacobs, businesses are still suffering from backlogs caused by a decision to centralise work visa applications at the office of the DHA director-general. The decision was reversed last year and the function was returned to SA’s embassies worldwide, but the backlogs have put a strain on businesses hoping to recruit international staff with critical and rare skills. Jacobs said the Trusted Employer Scheme, which should be gazetted by the end of the month, aimed to help big business bring talent to the country more easily. “They want to offer those employers that are part of the scheme a more predictable migration process in the sense of documentation. Currently, depending on where you submit from, there are different documents required. They also propose shortened times of between 10 to 40 days turnaround for visa applications, which would be phenomenal,” she explained. Once the Trusted Employee Scheme is gazetted, companies will have 30 days to apply. Jacobs said hundreds of Xpatweb clients were waiting for their visas and appeals to be processed, causing havoc for businesses. While the DHA granted a concession by extending visas automatically to December 2023, those who changed positions or employers have to travel to their home countries to get a new visa.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Business Times (subscriber access only)
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