Since Minister Leon Schreiber’s appointment, just over a year ago, the Department of Home Affairs has seen a welcome period of reform and modernisation.
Commendable Strides for the Department
The Minister’s first year has been marked by several significant and positive developments. The Minister’s focus on digital services to make processes more accessible and efficient is a major step forward. We also saw the introduction of the remote work visa and the points-based system for work visas, demonstrating a progressive approach to harnessing labour migration. We’ve also noted the creation of expedited streams for tourist operators, which is a commendable move to boost the tourism sector.
Crucially, we’ve observed a marked improvement in the turnaround times for visa and permanent residence applications. This is particularly encouraging for the relatives’ visa category, which has long been a source of frustration for families. The rollout of Smart IDs for permanent residents is also a significant win.
Beyond residency services, we must acknowledge the Minister’s focus on improving border control and his decisive action against fraud and corruption. The establishment of the Immigration Advisory Board, which brings together experts to inform policy, is a testament to the Department’s commitment to informed decision making.
Critical Areas of Concern
While the progress is undeniable, we are interested to see the Minister’s next steps on some outstanding issues requiring urgent action.
Firstly, there has been very little reform to the asylum system where chronic backlogs and legal challenges persist. We are also concerned to note that with the quicker turnaround on permanent residence applications, our refugee clients have received a high number of rejections. Distressingly, the reasons for the rejections are often of very poor quality and clearly rubber stamped by an official who completely failed to engage with the content of the application.
Secondly, the situation for Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders remains uncertain. The latest blanket extension of permits provided some temporary relief, but a clear long-term solution is still lacking. Frustratingly, our ZEP clients who are attempting to transition to other visa categories are facing application delays of up to a year. Comparative to applicants not within the ZEP stream, these extended delays are clearly discriminatory for ZEP applicants.
Thirdly, the adjudication of appeals, across all visa and permanent residence categories, continues to be a protracted process. Many applicants are left in limbo for months, often more than a year, unable to work or travel pending the adjudication of their appeal. We are noting similar delays with waiver applications.
Finally, while the new points-based system is a positive move towards transparent adjudication, we are concerned that its current format is focused exclusively on highly qualified and affluent professionals. This creates a notable gap where essential workers in sectors like teaching, nursing, social work, and hospitality would not qualify, despite their critical contribution to the country. A more inclusive points-based system is needed to ensure we can attract talent across all essential sectors.
Going Forward
We remain optimistic that the momentum of the past year will continue and that the Minister will use his second year to tackle these outstanding issues with the same determination he has shown so far. This would further solidify the Department of Home Affairs as a modern, efficient, and rights-based institution.
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