This collaborative spirit is necessary as we work towards a Home Affairs Department that embodies transparency, efficiency, and integrity, the writer says.
As South Africa stands on the cusp of a transformative period under the stewardship of Home Affairs newly appointed Minister Leon Schreiber and the new Government of National Unity, there is a collective sense of optimism and opportunity for real change.
Stefanie de Saude Darbandi says , I am eager to highlight the possibilities and challenges ahead.
In celebrating the principles of unity embraced by the African National Congress and the new Government of National Unity, we recognize the importance of putting national interests above partisan divides.
This collaborative spirit is necessary as we work towards a Home Affairs Department that embodies transparency, efficiency, and integrity.
Minister Schreiber`s appointment marks a pivotal moment in our nation`s approach to immigration. With a background steeped in academic rigor and a commitment to principled governance, his leadership promises a departure from the status quo. This brings renewed hope for addressing the longstanding issues that have plagued our Home Affairs Department.
Our current immigration landscape is marked by inefficiencies, bureaucratic backlogs, and regulatory ambiguities. While the recent promulgation of new regulations on 19 May 2024 represents progress, it falls short of the comprehensive reforms needed to propel South Africa onto a competitive global stage. Minister Schreiber`s tenure presents an opportunity to revisit and refine these regulations, ensuring they not only streamline processes but also foster an environment conducive to economic growth and social cohesion.
A critical area in need of reform is the point system for working visas. The new regulations reference these points, yet clarity is lacking in how they align with the existing Immigration Act. Minister Schreiber`s leadership is essential in providing clarity and coherence in these regulations, ensuring transparency and fairness in the application process for skilled professionals who can contribute significantly to our workforce and economy.
Additionally, there is a pressing need to adapt the visitor visa option to accommodate remote work. More could be done, such as reconsidering the minimum requirement of a gross income of one million rand per annum and enabling these applicants to apply for permanent residence from within South Africa.
These adjustments would significantly broaden opportunities for individuals to work remotely from South Africa, thereby stimulating local economies and fostering cultural exchange.
The recent White Paper on immigration, while a step forward, highlights the need for a more ambitious vision. Drawing inspiration from successful immigration models globally, such as those in Canada and Australia, we can develop policies that balance national security with openness and inclusivity. These models demonstrate that effective immigration management not only addresses labour market gaps but also enriches our cultural fabric and drives innovation.
Beyond regulatory adjustments, we must address systemic issues within Home Affairs that have perpetuated injustice and deterred potential investors and skilled immigrants. The prevalence of wrongful rejections, which send many needed individuals and families in South Africa back into the system through an appeal process that either takes years to resolve or requires litigation to correct, undermines our credibility as a welcoming nation. Additionally, inconsistent service standards among Home Affairs officials abroad further exacerbate these challenges. Minister Schreiber`s commitment to accountability and efficiency presents an opportunity to overhaul these practices, ensuring fairness and respect for all applicants.
Furthermore, our firm has been involved in numerous court cases launched against Home Affairs since the onset of lockdown. It is concerning that many of these cases go into contempt two or three times before resolution. We sincerely hope that under Minister Schreiber`s leadership, there will be a marked improvement in honouring court orders and agreements, leading to timely and lawful outcomes.
Another further pressing issue on everyone`s mind is the blanket waiver enabling long-term visa and waiver applicants to remain in South Africa and exit without being banned, which expired at the end of June. As of now, there has been no update on this very important matter. However, with Minister Schreiber at the helm, we are hopeful that clarity and direction will soon follow. His track record suggests that he will address these pressing concerns with urgency and diligence. It is crucial that the new minister understands that ALL visa applicants should be protected from delays, not just those applying for long-term visas. An illustrative example is the case of the `swallows` - seasonal visitors who contribute significantly to our economy. If they apply for renewal of their entry or short-term visa and encounter delays, they too should benefit from a waiver extension while awaiting clearance of the backlog. This approach ensures fairness and supports economic activity by maintaining a welcoming environment for all who wish to contribute to South Africa`s growth.
The establishment of an Immigration Advisory Board is long overdue. Minister Schreiber`s leadership is important in convening this board, comprised of diverse stakeholders including legal experts and community representatives. This board will provide invaluable guidance in shaping inclusive and responsive immigration policies that reflect our values and aspirations as a nation.
In shaping a new era for South Africa`s immigration landscape.
As we embark on this journey of transformation, we extend our support and expertise to Minister Schreiber in shaping a new era for South Africa`s immigration landscape Together, let us seize this moment to enact meaningful reforms that unlock our nation`s full potential. By building a Home Affairs Department that meets the needs of our citizens, residents, and all foreigners from around the world, as well as our neighbouring countries, we can position South Africa as a beacon of progress and prosperity on the African continent

All travellers with long stay visa pending applications with VFS receipts including short term receipts will be declared undesirable on exit, they had a meeting this morning and ports of entry were informed in terms of Directive December 2023 wherein the blanket waiver enabling long-term visa and waiver applicants to remain in South Africa and exit without being banned, expired on 30 June 2024 .

The consequences of flying on an expired visa is as follows:
Visa expired - 30 days ago - declared undesirable for 1 year and banned from returning to SA
Visa expired - 31 plus days ago - declared undesirable for 5 year and banned from returning to SA

While much has been made about the impact of Airbnb on South Africa’s traditional accommodation sector, the biggest thing holding back local tourism is the struggles overseas visitors face to get a visa to visit the country.
That is according to Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA), recognised by the government as the main representative of the hospitality industry.
FEDHASA previously called for urgent regulation of short-term rental platforms like Airbnb in 2017.
It called on the government to ensure that these platforms met the same operational requirements as traditional accommodation operators and that they ensured the safety of their users.
The Department of Tourism subsequently revealed its intention to regulate Airbnb and other home-sharing apps in April 2019 through the Tourism Amendment Bill.
It published a green paper on the development and promotion of tourism in South Africa in October 2023, undertaking a policy review process that will inform the regulations in the Bill.
Among the proposals under consideration is to give the Minister of Tourism the power to determine certain thresholds for Airbnb locations in South Africa, including limits on how many nights a customer can book at one location.
The department explained that the proliferation of Airbnbs could cause a surplus of unregistered accommodation properties, damaging the value of formal operators’ properties.
These operators - including non-Airbnb guest houses and hotels -  have higher operating costs due to hospitality taxes, levies, insurance, and other government-mandated criteria.
While they generally do not mind small-scale Airbnb hosts that rent out a room or garden cottage, they take issue with small-to-medium guesthouses that claim to be private homeowners.
FEDHASA’s stance on Airbnb has cooled down somewhat from a few years ago.
Commenting on the green paper in October 2023, it warned that the regulations must focus on job creation, pointing out that onerous requirements could hamstring smaller accommodation operators in poorer communities, including those that benefit from being on Airbnb.
“As these platforms are now a substantial part of the tourism sector, we support a balanced approach that protects consumers while encouraging entrepreneurship,” FEDHASA said.
“However, we request a discussion on reasonable regulation aligned with international best practices.”
South Africa “shamefully behind” in tourism recovery
FEDHASA chairperson Rosemary Anderson told MyBroadband the more serious inhibitor of tourism growth in South Africa was its visa processes.
She explained numerous accommodation providers relied heavily on international tourism and South Africa had still not fully recovered or exceeded pre-Covid-19 tourist entries.
“At the end of December 2023, South Africa was sitting at a 79% recovery compared with 2019’s data,” Anderson said.
“South Africa currently lags shamefully behind other nations due to our cumbersome, nonsensical visa processes, while countries with efficient and hospitable visa reform strategies vastly outperform us in attracting tourists,” Anderson said.
“Consequently, declining tourism figures adversely impact all segments of the accommodation industry, with the exception of the high-end hotel sector, particularly prominent in Cape Town compared to other major South African cities.”
“This trend could be reversed through vital improvements to our visa system, particularly by making it more accessible and easier to navigate for key tourism growth markets such as India and China.”
Anderson said that a radically reformed visa system could inject millions in foreign currency into South Africa’s economy, fostering extensive job creation and enhancing the affordability of holiday accommodation for a far broader demographic.
As South Africans’ disposable income increases, bookings of accommodation by domestic tourists could also climb.
Airbnb Middle East and Africa regional head Velma Corcoran previously criticised the government’s regulatory proposals.
While Airbnb supports regulations to combat problematic operators, Corcoran argued that these should not harm the tourism industry.
Of particular issue was that the regulations treat someone who rents out a single room for a small additional income the same as an operator that buys several properties and rents them out at scale.
The company has welcomed regulations on short-term rental platforms in the European Union (EU), which has taken a very different approach.
These rules will make it compulsory for Airbnb to share data about their hosts on a monthly basis, including the identity of the host, their contact details, the exact location and address of the rental, and maximum number of beds or occupants.
They must also register them on a “simple” online system that will enable local authorities to identify the host and their unit and verify their information.
Furthermore, short-term rental platforms must combat problematic operators through verification checks.
“Online platforms will have to ensure that the information provided by hosts is reliable and complete and that the registration number is clearly visible on the corresponding listing,” the European Parliament explained.
“They will also have to make reasonable efforts to conduct random information checks.”
“The competent authorities can suspend registration numbers, ask platforms to remove illegal listings, or impose penalties on non-compliant platforms or hosts.”

Here`s where SA ranks according to the Henley & Partners passport index. Image: canva
The latest Henley & Partners Passport Index for 2024 lists the 108 countries that South African passport holders can travel to without requiring a visa.
The index includes 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations, ranking them in terms of travel power.
Each passport was scored on the total number of destinations that the holder can access visa-free.
South Africa placed 52nd with a visa-free score of 108.
South Africa tied with Qatar (also 108) and came just above Belize (104) and below Türkiye (118).
That means there are 108 countries around the world that a South African passport holder can visit visa-free.
Meanwhile, the index found that the Singapore passport was the most powerful in the world with a visa-free score of 195.
France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Spain all tied for the secon spot, while Afghanistan still sits at the bottom of the list with a score of 28.
THE 108 COUNTRIES THAT SOUTH AFRICANS CAN VISIT WITHOUT A VISA PER REGION:
Africa - 35
Americas - 18
Asia - 17
Caribbean - 16
Europe - 4
Middle East - 8
Oceania - 10
THE 108 COUNTRIES SOUTH AFRICANS CAN VISIT VISA-FREE:
* visa on arrival, ** electronic travel authority (ETA)
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia *
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Benin
Bolivia *
Botswana
Brazil
British Virgin Islands
Burundi *
Cambodia *
Cape Verde Islands *
Cayman Islands
Chile
Comoro Islands *
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Djibouti *
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt *
El Salvador
eSwatini
Ethiopia *
Falkland Islands
Fiji
Gabon
Georgia
Ghana *
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea-Bissau *
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong (SAR China)
Indonesia
Iran *
Ireland
Israel
Jamaica
Jordan *
Kenya
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan *
Laos *
Lesotho
Macao (SAR China)
Madagascar *
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives *
Marshall Islands *
Mauritania *
Mauritius
Micronesia
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Nepal *
Nicaragua
Nigeria *
Niue
Oman
Pakistan **
Palau Islands *
Palestinian Territory
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Qatar
Reunion
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Samoa *
Saudi Arabia *
Senegal
Seychelles *
Sierra Leone *
Singapore
Somalia *
South Korea **
Sri Lanka **
St. Helena *
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Tajikistan *
Tanzania
Thailand
The Gambia
Timor-Leste *
Togo *
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu *
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Key Takeaways
•    The number of foreign students in Canada has started to decrease following the introduction of stricter visa regulations.
•    Canada aims to reduce the number of approved study permits by 35 percent.
•    In addition to foreign students, the government plans to impose caps on the number of foreign workers and asylum claimants.
The number of study permit holders in Canada decreased by 24,594 during January and March 2024, compared with a decrease of 16,000 during the same months in 2023, Statistics Canada has revealed.
Such a drop in the number of international students follows stricter study visa regulations introduced by Canada in January 2024, VisaGuide.World reports.
This decrease is also reflected in the overall temporary immigrant figures. During the first quarter of 2024, Canada added 131,810 temporary residents, marking one of the slightest quarterly net increases since 2022, as reported by the Bloomberg newspaper.
Canada Aims to Reduce Foreign Student Permits by 35%
In January 2024, the Canadian government announced caps on the number of approved study permits, aiming to reduce the figure to 360,000 or 35 per cent less than in 2023.
Such a measure was attributed to the increasing influx of foreign students in Canada, among other things. In 2023, the number of foreigners holding a study permit in Canada surpassed the one million figure, according to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
During this period, the highest number of study permits were granted to students from India, China, the Philippines, Nigeria, France, Iran, Nepal, Vietnam and Mexico.
However, Canada may enforce additional restrictions if needed, the Canadian Minister of Immigration Marc Miller warned in an official statement on April 22.
Post-secondary institutions have a critical responsibility when recruiting students abroad, as well as supporting them here. We have taken some important steps to strengthen the international student visa system and will not hesitate to do more if need be.
Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada
Canada’s Population Grew Due to Increase of Temporary Immigrants
Overall, the population in Canada reached 41 million in the first quarter, marking a 0.6 percent increase. According to Statistics Canada, without temporary immigrants, the country’s population growth rate during this period would have been 0.3 percent.
As further reported by Bloomberg, Canada saw an increase in its population due to the influx of foreigners who arrived in the country after the pandemic. The majority of this increase is attributed to temporary immigrants, including international students, foreign workers and asylum seekers.
Following the increase in the number of foreign population, Canada plans to limit the overall number of temporary residents it accepts.
Foreigners working in construction and healthcare will be exempted from this policy, considering the country’s labor shortage in these sectors.