Pandor wants skills transferred

THE home affairs minister has expressed concern companies in the EU were applying for waivers of certain work permits due to the skills shortage, but had no plans to transfer skills to locals.

HOME Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor has expressed concern that large European Union (EU) companies are asking her department to approve waivers of certain work permits because of the skills shortage in SA, but without plans for transferring skills to locals.

SA had a serious shortage of skills, forcing companies to recruit beyond the country’s borders.

Addressing the Austrian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Johannesburg last night, the minister said that while the department valued the people, trade and investment from the EU, she was still concerned.

“I have found some of the waiver applications troubling. Many lead to a situation that suggests South Africans will never meet the requirements to do these ‘specialist’ jobs … I do want some discussion of a plan to build skills in SA,” she said.

Ms Pandor said the EU was central to SA’s industrial policy, job creation and foreign investment.

Many companies were using the waiver policies on work permits, which was good, but the concerns she expressed should be seriously considered as the department wanted to help the government to effectively use immigration policy to enhance the achievement of its national goals.

She said another large group of applicants that require waivers were holders of intra-company transfer work permits who have been seconded to SA from another branch or head office of an organisation.

Intra-company transfer work permits are valid for two years and cannot be renewed under the current Immigration Act of 2002.

Under the new act, the department will be extending the period of validity to four years.

“I believe that two years is too short a period for professionals and for newly established branches of major corporations. Our policies and regulations will have to change in response to these new models of work,” Ms Pandor said.

The minister also said that the department was proposing a new immigration policy to simplify the migration work permit process within the Southern African Development Community region and further afield on the continent, in a bid to ease the current burden on the country’s asylum system.