BusinessLive reports that one of the focus areas of newly appointed Department of Home Affairs (DHA) Minister Leon Schreiber is to improve the processes for work visas, which he says are critical for economic growth.

Business has repeatedly complained about the long delays companies experience in obtaining work visas for senior personnel. Schreiber said on Monday that addressing the visa backlog would be high on his agenda and explained further: “We absolutely have to look at visa processes. We have to take the visa issue very seriously as this is an economic catalyst for SA. We need to have a process whereby people who want to contribute skills or capital to SA are actually able to do that.” The interface with the Department of International Relations & Co-operation would also have to be examined because embassies were involved in getting visa applications processed. Schreiber expressed excitement about the recent move towards a remote working visa, which would make a huge difference when implemented. Schreiber, who has a PhD in political science, will bring to bear the insights gained while working for five years as a senior research fellow at Princeton University, looking at how developing countries in Africa and Asia could reform dysfunctional institutions. He also wants to ensure that there is a better working environment for staff, many of whom he believes want to deliver quality services. On battling corruption in the DHA, Schreiber said a long, sustained process would be required to deal with it.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Linda Ensor at BusinessLive

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