Skilled Immigration in South Africa: An input into the Operation Vulindlela review of Critical Skills and General Work visas

Zaakhir Asmal, Haroon Bhorat, David de Villiers and Lisa Martin ()
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Lisa Martin: Development Policy Research Unit, University of Cape Town

Working Papers from University of Cape Town, Development Policy Research Unit

Abstract: Currently, the process of obtaining Critical Skills Visas and General Work Visas is perceived to be lengthy, onerous and ineffective at solving short-term skills shortages. The administrative process represents a significant barrier to entry. A consequence identified in the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP) is that the growth of multiple economic sectors is constrained by insufficient skills (Republic of South Africa, 2020). This is further exacerbated by skilled emigration and competition for scarce skills between countries. Operation Vulindlela has engaged with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in order to undertake a comprehensive review of the regulatory framework and processes for the Critical Skills and General Work visas in order to improve the efficiency of the policy framework and processes. Within the context of this review, this paper considers a number of issues related to the need for high skilled immigrant labour to be imported into the country against a backdrop of hhigh unemployment. Specifically, this paper considers the following as inputs into the broader work being done by Operation Vulindlela: Evidence of the benefits associated with skilled immigration in countries; An analysis of firm experiences with the visa application process using responses from a survey of firms; A review of the operational and structural inefficiencies within the current visa application processes in South Africa, taking into consideration the nature of unemployment in South Africa and the role of Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) data and the Critical Skills List in skilled immigration visa application assessments.

Keywords: South Africa; labour migration; skilled immigration; unemployment; policy & regulatory frameworks; work visas; wage inequality; foreign labour (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E24 J08 J21 J24 J61 N17 N3 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 47 pages
Date: 2023-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-int and nep-mig
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Published in Working Paper Series by the Development Policy Research Unit, May 2023, pages 1-47

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