The Forum for Immigration Practitioners of South Africa (FIPSA) hosted its inaugural Immigration Indaba in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, marking a major milestone in national dialogue on immigration reform and economic growth. The event brought together government departments, investors, and immigration professionals to discuss how South Africa can modernise its immigration processes and align them with its digital transformation agenda.
The Indaba, described as a premier platform for collaboration, was attended by representatives from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), and Department of Employment and Labour (DEL). It served as an opportunity for policymakers and practitioners to explore ways to strengthen the immigration framework and promote safe and efficient migration.
Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber addressed delegates in a pre-recorded message while on an official trip abroad to open new DHA service centres. He said the department had embarked on the most ambitious reform agenda since 1994, guided by its mission to deliver Home Affairs services both domestically and internationally.
“Our vision is to deliver Home Affairs at home through digital transformation. We are digitising and automating all processes, including those within the immigration sector, which is central to FIPSA’s work,” said Schreiber.
He highlighted progress already made through a pilot initiative digitising tourist visas for registered groups from China and India.
“We have already proven this concept by issuing over 40 000 visas securely and within days to tourists who would otherwise have struggled to visit South Africa,” he said.
Schreiber announced the rollout of the new electronic travel authorisation system known as ETA, which is being introduced for delegates from G20 member countries that require visas for short visits to South Africa. These include China, India, Mexico, and Indonesia.
He said ETA signage and terminals were already operational at OR Tambo and Cape Town International Airports. “Instead of travelling long distances, standing in queues, filling in paperwork, and waiting weeks for a tourist visa, applicants can now apply on their smart devices. They scan their passports, take a selfie, and have their applications processed by secure digital systems within minutes,” he said.
“When they arrive in South Africa, they will look into the camera at the immigration desk to instantly verify their biometrics. Following the G20 Summit, we plan to open this ETA system to all tourists from these four countries, followed by expansion to other nations,” Schreiber said.
He added that the department intends to extend the ETA system to additional visa categories, eliminating human bias and delays that often cause backlogs and corruption. “Over time, we will roll it out across all ports of entry, including land borders, to ensure that no one enters South Africa without this user-friendly yet secure authorisation,” he said.
The minister also reported significant progress in visa adjudication performance. During the 2024–25 financial year, the share of critical skills visas adjudicated on time rose from 52 to 89 percent, business visas from 61 to 97 percent, and general work visas from 10 to 98 percent.
Leslie Tlago Fick, Manager of One Stop Shops at the DTIC, said the department was committed to improving the ease of doing business and supporting investors entering the country. “As the DTIC, on behalf of the government, we take leadership in making South Africa a top investment destination. We work with partners across government and the private sector so that investors can quickly relocate and establish their projects,” he said.
Fick noted that FIPSA plays a key role in guiding investors on accessing government services related to immigration. “We are thankful for the current leadership and the introduction of ETA, which will ensure that South Africa’s passport and immigration processes are dignified and efficient. That will strengthen investor confidence globally,” he said.
Nonhlanhla Ngwenya from the Department of Employment and Labour spoke about the development of the national labour migration policy, an initiative of the SADC ministers aimed at harmonising migration policies across the region. She said South Africa had already started drafting the policy to align national processes governing the management of labour migration.
“The policy seeks to address four key areas: labour migration governance, data for national labour migration policy, labour migration into South Africa, and labour migration from South Africa,” Ngwenya said.
FIPSA Western Cape Chapter Chairperson, Rod Maxwell, said the Indaba represented the culmination of a decade of effort to bring stakeholders together for a unified dialogue.
“We worked for 10 years to host our first Indaba and to have Home Affairs, the Labour Department, DTIC, and embassies represented. Our aim was to promote FIPSA, stimulate industry discussion, and advance safe immigration practices,” he said.
Responding to Schreiber’s announcement on digital transformation, Maxwell said, “It is important to embrace digitisation. Change is inevitable.”
The Indaba concluded with delegates reaffirming their commitment to partnership between government and the private sector in reforming immigration systems. The event signalled a shared determination to position South Africa as a leading destination for skilled migration, investment, and technological innovation in the years ahead.
