Time to rethink immigration
The Citizen – 15 August 2021
Without a sound immigration policy in place, our economy is at serious risk of a severe skills shortage.
The United Nations estimates that one in every 113 people worldwide are migrants. That’s more than 250 million people who have left their country of birth to seek better opportunities or apply their skills in other countries.
Unfortunately, our immigration policy has not kept up to global standards, with decisions about migration being made on a mechanical application of rules instead of the integrated intelligence-based approach that is best practice globally.
To date, government has seen international immigration as a routine administrative function instead of a process that can bring tremendous benefits to South Africa. The latest Green Paper on International Immigration is designed to overcome these limitations and bring South Africa in line with global best practice.
Key to this is the country’s immediate need to integrate with a highly connected world and to start taking advantage of the influx of talented migrants from other parts of Africa and the world. A recent McKinsey report estimates that the global economy will have 40 million fewer workers with university degrees in 2020 than is required.
Without a sound immigration policy in place, our economy is at serious risk of a severe skills shortage. In South Africa, pressure on the economy is exacerbated by a lack of skilled workers.
South Africa has also been criticised for its lack of competitiveness in terms of attracting skills internationally. Considering the political instability prevalent in many sub-Saharan African countries, including our immediate SADC neighbours, the need for an effective and equitable refugee policy is paramount.
The proposed establishment of a Border Management Authority to balance the facilitation of legitimate trade and travel with security is a welcome development. Integrated border control would help ensure the effective and efficient management of refugees and asylum seekers who have fled their countries of birth.
As a whole, South Africa has not been overly welcoming to refugees and asylum seekers. Of the 70 000 applications for asylum the country receives per year, more than 90% are rejected.
At present, there are fewer than 100 000 legally recognised refugees in South Africa. And in 2015 alone, more than 54 000 people were deported – at high cost to taxpayers.
In addition, asylum seekers are often met with corrupt officials who demand payment for services that should be rendered freely. A recent research report by Lawyers for Human Rights and the African Centre for Migration & Society found that 30% of asylum seekers encountered some form of corruption during the asylum process.
In fact, 13% reported that they were unable to access an office because they were not able to pay the officials demanding payment. The new legislation will potentially address such discrepancies.
. Considering the national economic and strategic importance of South Africa’s immigration policy, it is imperative that citizens play an active role in shaping our country’s approach to international skills migration
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