BL Premium reports that Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Minister Aaron Motsoaledi will be withdrawing the new work visa regulations he gazetted on 28 March and says he was “ill advised” to gazette them the day before the 29 March deadline for public comments on the draft version.
At a National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) meeting last week, questions were raised about the process and demands were made that the regulations be withdrawn. “We do agree with Nedlac. I personally was ill advised to allow that to happen. It is important for me to listen to those who are raising concerns.”,” the minister said at a media briefing on Tuesday. Motsoaledi said he would re-gazette the regulations next week and wanted to avoid further delays. While the gist of the regulations will not change, they will rectify smaller issues that have raised concern, such as the requirement that visa applicants under the new points system must have “the ability to adapt within the republic”. The long-awaited new work visa regulations aim to make it easier for SA to attract foreign skills and to boost investment, growth and job creation. They introduce a points-based system and remote work visas, and streamline other, cumbersome requirements. Motsoaledi made it clear on Tuesday that the new points-based system will not replace the critical skills visas but will instead change the basis to obtain a general work visa.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Hilary Joffe at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
- Read too, Newly gazetted immigration regulations to be withdrawn after procedural error, at News24
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page