South Africa Approves 71 Companies for Fast-Tracked Visas, Gives Reason
- South Africa's Department of Home Affairs approved 71 out of 138 companies that applied to join the second phase of its Trusted Employer Scheme
- The scheme gives qualifying businesses simplified visa procedures and faster access to foreign workers with critical skills
- Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber linked the approvals to broader immigration reforms, including the expansion of the Electronic Travel Authorisation system
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South Africa's Department of Home Affairs has approved 71 companies to join the second phase of the Trusted Employer Scheme, a programme designed to help businesses recruit skilled foreign workers with less paperwork and shorter waiting times.
The department received 138 applications before concluding its assessment process, meaning just over half of the companies that applied qualified for admission into the scheme.
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Approved employers will gain access to simplified immigration procedures when bringing in workers with specialised expertise that is not readily available locally.
71 companies approved under trusted employer scheme
The second phase of the scheme was launched on July 20, 2026, and was opened to a wider range of organisations, including strategic infrastructure projects, regional and global headquarters, and qualifying financial institutions.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber described the approvals as a significant move towards repositioning the department as a facilitator of business rather than a source of delays.
"With 71 more companies now part of the Trusted Employer Scheme, we are taking another important step towards positioning Home Affairs as an enabler of economic growth," Schreiber said.
"Cutting red tape and making it easier for businesses to access critical skills is essential to attracting investment, growing our economy and creating jobs for South Africans."
According to IOL, the department said the scheme would allow qualifying businesses to navigate immigration requirements more efficiently, removing administrative hurdles that often slow down access to international talent.
Immigration reforms target investment and growth
Schreiber said the Trusted Employer Scheme sits within a broader government effort to modernise South Africa's immigration system and make the country more competitive in attracting foreign investment.
A key part of that effort is the expansion of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, which replaces manual immigration processes with digital alternatives.
"Together with the expansion of our Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, the Trusted Employer Scheme forms part of our broader reforms to build a fundamentally different immigration system that serves South Africa's interests," Schreiber said.
The minister also pushed back against the idea that streamlining immigration must come at the cost of national security, arguing the two goals are not in conflict.
"We are demonstrating that stronger immigration security and economic growth can, and must, go hand in hand."
The department said a combination of faster visa processing and tighter immigration controls would give businesses a more predictable environment in which to invest and operate.
South Africa sets rules on rest time
Legit.ng earlier reported that South Africa's labour law sets out clear rules on how much rest time employers must give workers between shifts and over the course of a week, with some flexibility allowed through written agreements under specific conditions.
Source: Legit.ng
