Question NW1531 to the Minister of Home Affairs
09 December 2019 - NW1531
Opperman, Ms G to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1)Since the Republic is in dire need of skills, why does his department not capture the qualifications of scarce skills of migrants and asylum seekers, to prevent skilled foreign nationals being lost to the informal sector; (2) Since the last xenophobic attacks in Bellville this year, what total number of immigrants have applied for voluntary repatriation?
Reply:
1. With regards to visa and permit applications made by foreigners applying for critical skills temporary residence visa, their qualifications are captured on the Departments Visa Adjudication System (VAS).
However, The Department does not currently capture the skills of asylum seeker applicants, but this is catered for in the revised DHA-1590 Form. The requirement of this information is going to assist the Department in the assessment of asylum seeker’s sustainability as is required in terms of Section 22 (6) of the Refugees Amendment Act (Act No 11 of 2017). The Amended Act will only come into force once the President has promulgated it.
2. The Department has received 4,057 requests for voluntary cancellations of asylum seeker permits in the period 1 January 2019 to 30 September 2019 country wide. The Department is not aware if any of these voluntary cancellations are related to the incidences that occurred a few months ago.
END