Question NW183 to the Minister of Labour
10 May 2016 - NW183
Ollis, Mr IM to ask the Minister of Labour
How does she intend to improve the processing rate of (a) corporate and (b) individual (i) work permit and (ii) general visa applications which is at only 53% in some cases according to her department’s 2014-15 annual report?
Reply:
The Department made an assessment on a number of factors that were contributing to delays in processing of recommendations to the Department of Home Affairs on corporate and individual work visa applications. The Department is not responsible for recommending approval of general visas to the Department of Home Affairs.
To improve the processing of corporate and individual work visas applications we have put the following measures in place:
• We have advised and secured approval from Department of Home Affairs that Sports, Arts, Culture and Religious applications will no longer be processed by the Department of Labour as from 01st April 2015.
• We have publicized guidelines on our website for corporate and individual work visa applicants to check requirements before they submit applications to the department.
• We trained staff in our Labour Centres not to accept any applications that are incomplete or are not corporate or individual work visa related.
• Applications submitted by employers found to be non-compliant with our labour laws will be negatively recommended immediately on receipt of inspector’s report.
• We set a target of 30 working days within which we are going to process applications.
• As from 06th June 2016 we intend testing and piloting a new on-line system for the submission of applications.
• At Head Office, the adjudication committee meets every Friday of the week to review and finalize documentation received from Provincial Offices and to make a final recommendation to the Department of Home Affairs.