Immigration: SA’s Balancing Act

Friday saw the first National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP) Dialogue take place since cabinet’s approval of the NLMP earlier this year. A cross-section of stakeholders was present, including Organised Business, Organised Labour, Government, and civil society including those representing special interest community groups. And, from the comments shared, there are a plethora of views, including real frustrations from amongst South Africans who believe there are simply too many foreign nationals within our borders.

The issue of labour migration is not unique to South Africa with 169 million migrants recorded around the world. Stats shared by the IOM indicate that South Africa remains the number one destination for 70% of migrants from Africa, who see us as the land of opportunity, understandably so when one sees that SA contributes nearly half of the GDP for sub-Saharan Africa.

South Africa, as a member of the ILO, seeks to enable safe, orderly migration and develop a fair, inclusive and forward-thinking NLMP that balances South Africa’s national priorities with regional and global cooperation necessary for economic development.

Our country has a unique paradox, massive unemployment with nearly half of South Africa’s economically active population out of work, and a simultaneous shortage of skills. And whilst many will think of the specialist, high skills like ICT and healthcare, many difficulties remain for industries such as agriculture who also are challenged by a lack of available manpower during harvesting time, despite local recruitment drives.

Government recognises that to bolster economic development, including much-needed foreign direct investment in labour-intensive industries, businesses need to have smooth access to the skills they require. To this end, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has introduced several reforms, including digitalisation, to speed things up. New visa regimes also seek to fast-track legitimate applications for critical and scarce skills, including acknowledging the challenges within QCTO.

A primary challenge, highlighted by both international experts and local representatives, is the lack of credible labour market data. This information is central to efforts to align skills development with labour market needs, and to ensure that the right skills (and associated parameters) are included on the Critical Skills List (CSL).

In the absence of a formal Labour Market Intelligence System, Organised Business representatives seek to influence stakeholders by sharing information about business needs. Credible surveys, such as 2025 Critical Skills Survey, managed by immigration specialists Xpatweb, are central to data collection, and we strongly encourage businesses to participate.

South Africa's global competitiveness depends on access to critical talent. For business, attracting the right skills is vital for growth. Your insights will help shape the Critical Skills List to reflect real industry needs and support timely access to global talent.

Click HERE to participate in the survey.

The NLMP has a South Africans First principle at its core, and it remains the priority for the country to get as many South Africans into work as possible. However, to ensure that we continue to drive economic growth and competitiveness, businesses must be able to access the skills it needs in a timely fashion.

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