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 to expedite 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, will be a ‘one-stop shop’ at which corporates could submit visa and permit applications that are then fast-tracked and processed within four weeks.

The applicant, as well as his or her family, will 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 believes the newly inaugurated centre will alleviate the pressure of visa application management for the senior executives of companies who are holders of temporary residence visas, as well as other foreign employees within these companies.

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

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

Flanked by his deputy, Fatima Chohan, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba reiterated at the launch of the centre in May that the DHA was altering its approach to international migration management and was now intent on harnessing the corporate immigration process to benefit 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 manu- facturing, 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.

In terms of eligibility, only corporates registered with the DHA’s Corporate Accounts Unit (CAU) will 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 was established to facilitate visa applications of large companies and further manage stakeholder relations with this niche market.

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

Companies are 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 transfers skills to locals and a South African staff complement of least 60% are further requirements.

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