The formal sector normally use documented migrants and register them appropriately, but sectors in `obscure places` of in SA employ un-documented migrants, says the DEL.
• The Department of Employment and Labour briefed Parliament`s Portfolio Committee on Tourism about migration trends.
• Especially since 2000, there has been a `dramatic influx` of mainly undocumented migrant workers, a worrying trend for the DEL.
• These migrants are particularly concentrated in the informal sector.
Migrants constitute about 4% of the population in South Africa and 7% of the country`s labour force, according to the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL).
The department made a presentation to Parliament`s Portfolio Committee on Tourism on Tuesday.
Migration patterns tracked by the department shows that, especially since 2000, there has been a `dramatic influx` of mainly undocumented migrant workers. A worrying trend for the DEL is that these migrants are particularly concentrated in the informal sector.
The department would like to see access to SA`s labour market regulated and monitored via `a flexible quota system`, a streamlined and seamless visa regime and strong bilateral and multi-lateral partnerships among SADC countries.
`Support SADC regional labour market initiatives via ring-fenced visa arrangements to the benefit of SADC citizens,` the department suggested.
According to the DEL, there is a need to address insufficient and absent policy frameworks, for example, concerning recruitment, data requirements, and labour migration to and from South Africa. An appropriate legislative framework has to accompany the policy in order to provide the mandate for state interventions.
It is, therefore, necessary to review current bilateral labour agreements, in the view of the department.
`The absence of a streamlined policy framework will perpetuate a fragmented and inconsistent approach to labour migration, non-aligned institutional frameworks, irregular labour migration, and the non-acquisition and non-retention of critical skills,` the department stated in its presentation.
Insufficient regulatory frameworks, for example regarding recruitment, also need to be addressed.
`Two measures in particular need to be taken. Firstly, there need to be comprehensive consultations, also within government. Secondly, draft legislation aimed at implementing the policy, supported by an explanatory memorandum, is key,` the

presentation states. `Invest in improved inter-ministerial coordination and integrated service delivery - with the DEL as the lead department for all labour migration aspects.`
Sam Morotoba, deputy director general of public employment services at the DEL, told the committee that the issue of foreign nationals is very complex. That is why an inter-ministerial committee was established between various departments to look at the issue.
`We have a serious situation of corruption at our borders, especially in certain areas of SA. It relates to human trafficking, crime and movement of illicit goods,` said Morotoba. In his view, there is also a need for a complementary policy to address trading by foreign nationals in the informal sector.
`The formal sector normally use documented migrants and register them appropriately, but sectors in `obscure places` of our country employ un-documented migrants and do not reflect them on their books. This makes it very difficult to know the exact numbers,` explained Morotoba.
`Our Constitution, however, even protects foreign nationals who are not documented, because of their rights as human beings. We cannot turn them away from our hospitals, for example.`
He further said SA is part of the SADC community and the wider African community.
`Whatever we do, we need to make sure our actions are within the context of regional integration and cooperation in a balanced way,` he said. `We are all affected if we do not manage migration well.`
He explained that South African companies which do not follow such a balanced employment approach when it comes to migrant or foreign labour, cause friction among South African labourers. He used truck drivers blocking freeways and demanding local companies must reduce their foreign workforce as an example.
`This [unbalanced] employment approach affects not only the tourism industry, but also agriculture. That is why we need a national strategy and a coordinated migration framework,` said Morotoba.
The committee also heard that foreign-born migrants are often employed in the tourism industry because they speak languages needed to communicate with foreign tourists. At the same time, they often earn very low wages and endure bad working conditions due to not being unionised.
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One of the highlighted topics: Critical Skills Visa.

- Key Insight: Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast track to working in South Afr...
- This matter relates to critical skills visa and its broader implications.
- Individuals are advised to seek professional guidance.

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One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, became a victim of identity theft in 2012 when fraudulent transactions occurred, using her personal details.

-The Pretoria High Court found that the department of home affairs had violated constitutional rights without due process.
-Only half of Lawyers for Human Rights` test group has been unblocked, while 385 000 identities remain blocked nationwide.
-LHR appeals extension, urges affected people to seek help now.

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) are intensifying pressure on the department of home affairs over the national ID-blocking crisis, accusing the state of acting too slowly to unblock qualifying individuals despite a landmark court ruling.

In January last year, the Pretoria High Court found that the department`s practice of blocking IDs without due process was unlawful and unconstitutional. One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, a Swati citizen and South African permanent resident since 1998, fell victim to identity theft in 2012 when fraudsters used her personal details.

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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6128
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6129
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A Washington state mother and her 6-year-old son have been released after spending more than three weeks in US immigration detention due to a brief trip to Canada and a small paperwork mistake, her attorney told CNN on Saturday.

Sarah Shaw, a New Zealand citizen who has lived legally in the US since she arrived in 2021, was detained at the Blaine, Washington, Customs and Border Protection checkpoint when returning home after dropping her two oldest children off at the Vancouver airport for a flight to visit their grandparents in New Zealand. Shaw, 33, chose the flight out of Vancouver because it was direct and she didn`t want her children to have to navigate a layover alone, her attorney Minda Thorward, told CNN.

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On 22 July 2025, the Gauteng High Court dismissed Sitrusrand Boerdery`s review of the Department of Employment and Labour`s refusal to issue a Working Conditions and Salary Benchmarking Certificate, an essential precondition for obtaining corporate visas under the Immigration Act.

Acting Judge Kekana AJ held that the Department`s decision was lawful, rational and procedurally fair. This judgment illustrates how businesses can - and must - structure their corporate visa applications to meet statutory requirements, and how legal practitioners should prepare robust review challenges when administrative authorities decline to recommend foreign-work permits.

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The United States could forfeit an estimated 9.4 billion dollars in visitor spending over the next three years following the introduction of a new 250 dollars `visa integrity fee,` according to industry groups, who warn the policy risks undermining tourism and costing thousands of jobs.
The United States’ decision to introduce a 250 dollars `visa integrity fee` on international visitors has triggered sharp criticism from the global tourism industry, with officials warning that the measure could deter millions of travellers and cost the U.S. economy billions.
The 250dollar `visa integrity fee,` part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed on July 4, 2025, will take effect later this year. According to immigration law firm Envoy Global, it applies to all nonimmigrant visa holders which include students, tourists, temporary workers, and business visitors particularly from African countries. V.6132
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6127
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1. Right to Legal Representation•You have the right to consult with a legal representative.•Contact an immigration practitioner, legal aid clinic, or attorney urgently.•Do not sign any documents without understanding them fully. 2. Section 34 of the Immigration Act•You must be brought to court with 48 hours to confirm arrest but you can remain locked up very long as courts figure out what to do with you •If you`re found to be illegally in South Africa, you may be detained for up to 30 days (extendable by a magistrate) pending deportation.•BUT this cannot happen arbitrarily. You must be informed of your rights, and Home Affairs must follow due process.- becomes a nightmare , you could lose your job , business , place to stay V.6121
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Driving for Bolt, Uber, Mr D, or Checkers Sixty60?If you`re undocumented, you`re risking more than just your income.The Risks if You`re Not Legal: - Vehicle impoundment - Heavy fines - Arrest & deportation - Permanent bans from working in SA V.6122
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