Delivering on commitments to enhance the ease of doing business in the Gauteng city-region, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has launched the DHA Premium Visa and Permit Centre, in Sandton, mandated with expediting the often bureaucratically intricate visa and permit application process for corporates active in South Africa.

The centre, which was the result of collaboration between the DHA, the Gauteng provincial government’s Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA) and outsourcing group VFS Global, would be a “one-stop shop” at which corporates could submit visa and permit applications that were then fast-tracked and processed within four weeks.

The applicant, as well as his or her family, would be able to complete the entire application process – including biometric enrolment – at the Johannesburg office, as well as receive immigration advisory services.

Housed at the GGDA’s Johannesburg headquarters, the DHA believed the newly inaugurated centre would alleviate the pressure of visa application management for the senior executives of companies who were holders of temporary residence visas, as well as other foreign employees within these companies.

The centre would further complement services already available at the GGDA, which included corporate tax, investment, project, incentive and import and export advisory services to companies wishing to invest in or establish themselves in the province.

VFS Global, which already managed eleven nationwide visa and permit application centres on behalf of the DHA, would operate the centre.

MIGRATION BENEFITS
Flanked by his deputy Fatima Chohan, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba reiterated at the launch of the centre on Wednesday that the DHA was altering its approach to international migration management and was now intent on harnessing the corporate immigration process that benefited the country.

“This requires a change of mindset on our part and that we establish the institutional infrastructure that enables us to achieve that objective and the goals of the National Development Plan.

“The department is acutely aware of the importance of immigration management to South Africa’s economic development and facilitating the entry of skilled workers and investors into South Africa, bearing in mind that the country receives a high number of migrants.

“Through this partnership, we’ll be able to serve corporate clients at the centre and support the GGDA’s efforts to offer a one-stop shop to prospective investors and exporters to fulfil administrative requirements. We can adopt a more open approach to skilled immigration and increase the supply of skills in the short term,” he commented.

Gigaba further noted that the DHA continued to focus on improving the standard of its services, both locally and abroad, adding that the centre represented another channel through which it could serve a “highly aware” corporate client that required a unique value proposition.

“We’re talking about big clients here, like British Petroleum, Transnet, Eskom, all the major banks, automotive manufacturers, universities, oil and gas companies and professional services firms.

“These [companies] make an important contribution to manufacturing, energy, retail, professional services, infrastructure and knowledge production and are instrumental to the development of our economy.

“We understand that our clients don’t apply for these documents for the fun of it. These are vital documents people need and, as the DHA, we must continue to improve our services,” he said.

CORPORATE QUALIFICATION
In terms of eligibility, only corporates registered with the DHA’s Corporate Accounts Unit (CAU) would be eligible to make use of the centre, while businesses recognised and affiliated to the various chambers of commerce were, earlier this month, invited by the department to apply for membership to the CAU to enable access.

The CAU had been established to facilitate the work visa applications of large companies and further manage stakeholder relations with this niche market.

To ensure that the selection process for qualifying companies was “fair, ethical and transparent”, the department outlined in the Government Gazette of May 12 that it would make use of a scoring system and would accept applications within ten working days of the notice being published.

Companies were selected for CAU membership based on the number of visas required in key positions, the magnitude of its incremental capital expenditure over the coming three years, its national priority or relevance in terms of the development of national infrastructure and its critical skills component.

The extent to which the company transferred skills to locals and an at least 60% South African staff complement were further requirements.

Should the centre prove successful, the department would look to roll it out countrywide, noted Gigaba.