SA Migration International

News Articles

Remote Working: The Future for Global Immigration Systems

Source: migration policy, 22/07/2022

By: Charlotte Wills, Kate Hooper, Policy Analyst at Migration Policy Institute and Meghan Benton, Director, International Program at Migration Policy Institute
Remote work is not a new phenomenon, but the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the pace at which employers have remote and hybrid working schemes. Increasingly, workers expect more flexible remote work policies, supported by the many months spent successfully carrying out their jobs in periods of lockdown and adoption of technology that make remote collaboration more seamless. But the widespread adoption of remote work has brought many headaches, especially as relates to working in a different country, since immigration policies were not designed for an era of remote work.
Adapting to remote work
Some companies have embraced this shift, especially in industries such as tech where remote work was already commonplace before the pandemic, and other industries such as financial services where many duties can be performed remotely (unlike, for example, healthcare, logistics, or hospitality). Remote working arrangements can range widely, from occasionally allowing employees to work from home within the same country, to permitting them to work from a different country for a certain number of days per year, to working with contractors and freelancers in other countries. Some employers have also made use of “parking,” whereby employees are sent to a third country where they have the right to work (or where visas are easy to attain) while they await backlogged visa processing in the country where a company is headquartered.
This period of innovation also revealed the shortcomings of immigration policies and related tax, social security, and employment systems to accommodate remote work arrangements. For example, the rules around remote work on a visitor visa are often unclear, while foreign workers admitted to a destination country may run into issues renewing or applying for a new visa if their employer adopts full-time remote work policies. In turn, the resources required to navigate local rules and obligations for digital nomads may deter employers from offering more flexible remote work policies.
These themes are recognized and analyzed in a new report by the Migration Policy Institute, which addresses how failing to adapt to the concept of remote work in immigration policies is a missed opportunity.
The past three years have already seen policy innovations in this area. More than 25 countries and territories have launched digital nomad visas that admit foreign nationals who work for an employer outside the country, or in some cases are self-employed �` especially in areas where economies have historically been reliant on tourism. The opportunity to spend time working on the beach in the Bahamas or Barbados has certainly been tempting for some.
But to truly reap the benefits of remote work, governments must understand the opportunities that lay beyond generating revenue from digital nomad visa programs, in making a country an attractive environment for temporary visitors, business activity and job creation. More flexible remote work policies can align with broader priorities including promoting economic development across regions, widening talent pools and even allowing people displaced by conflict or environmental disaster to earn incomes.
Looking ahead
There is no one answer for what this looks like. Creating flexible immigration policies that permit a greater degree of remote work in line with national economic priorities is a good starting point. Immigration is of course only one piece of this complex puzzle, with implications from tax and social security through to employee benefits, labour laws and cyber security. The report calls for governments to coordinate across portfolios to develop a remote work strategy that integrates immigration priorities with economic development and inclusive growth objectives.
One option is to introduce a standalone route for digital nomads �` but alternatively, governments could also consider clarifying the rules around remote work on a visitor visa and allowing some amount of remote work under certain conditions. Not only would this regularize a practice that may in reality happen anyway, but it could help boost tourism expenditures by encouraging people to extend their vacations to include a few days of remote work, for example. Alternatively, companies could take a more permissive and clear approach allowing occasional remote work by foreign nationals admitted to a country on an employment-based visa, in line with fast-changing norms around remote work.
Longer term, it is clear is that a more engaged approach to these issues with relevant adaptations to immigration systems globally can help foster a more attractive and complaint environment for employers, workers, and visitors as remote work continues to become more mainstream.
Until a time of more positive engagement and recognition by policymakers comes, employers can seek advice on any policies they have in place or may be considering implementing, ensuring the flexibility they want to offer does not expose them to increased compliance risks in immigration and beyond. Understanding which jurisdictions do permit remote work and under what arrangements can help support your strategy
www.samigration.com

Search

Latest News

Due to system downtime and load-shedding, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) lost nearly 141,000 hours of Smart ID application and production time between the 2019/20 and 2022/23 financial years. Minister Aaron Motsoaledi revealed this figure in a recent response to questions raised in Parliament by Democratic Alliance MP Adrian Roos. Motsoaledi provided a breakdown of smart ID production and application hours lost to technical difficulties and load-shedding per province for each financial year from 2019/2020. These disruptions hit home Affairs offices in the Eastern Cape the hardest, with over 34,000 hours to rotational power cuts and system downtime. Mpumalanga offices lost the next-highest number of hours at 17... Read more...

In recent years, South Africa has seen a significant influx of immigrants from various African countries, as well as other parts of the world. This has raised important questions about the country`s immigration policies and their impact on job creation for both locals and immigrants. The South African immigration system, like many other countries, is a complex and ever-evolving process that aims to balance the country`s economic needs with its social and cultural interests. Let`s take a closer look at how this system intersects with job creation in South Africa. The South African government implemented the Immigration Act of 2002, which outlines the country`s immigration policies and procedures. Under this act, foreigners are required to obtain a visa or permit to enter, work, or study in South Africa. The type of visa or permit required depends on the intended purpose of the individual`s visit and their country of origin.... Read more...

The DA has been inundated with complaints that the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) systems are offline, resulting in long queues and delayed processing of documents. Through questions posed to the Minister, the DA can now reveal that the DHA has lost over 77 years’ worth of working hours due to system downtime and load-shedding from 2019 to date. Concerningly, this data only relates to hours lost for the application of smart IDs, meaning decades more of working hours could have been additionally lost in other spheres such as passport or visa applications. The lost hours are largely due to system downtime, surpassing load-shedding. In the 2022/2023 financial year, where we experienced extensive load-shedding, system downtime was the cause of 41 691 hours lost (17 years), whereas load-shedding caused around 9 322 hours lost (4 years) at DHA civic offices on the production of smart IDs.... Read more...

JOHANNESBURG - Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi said that while the White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection had been gazetted, there were amendments that needed to be made to the legislation before it could be passed into law. The White Paper is proposing an overhaul of the country`s migration laws, with the aim of tightening rules around allowing migrants into the country.... Read more...

Highly skilled professionals are leaving South Africa to move to other countries, while the local economy faces a skills shortage. Data from The Outlier revealed that there were just over 900,000 South Africans living abroad in 2020. This number has increased steadily over the past 20 years, from 500,000 in 2000, according to Stats SA’s Migration Profile Report for South Africa 2023. Of these 900,000 people, 7 out of 10 are living in either Europe or Oceania. In particular, Australia and New Zealand have seen a large growth in South African residents. In 2020, around 273,000 South Africans were living in those two countries, more than double the 106,000 who lived there in 2000. The UK remains still the top destination for South Africans who leave the country.... Read more...

Document proposes overhauling the Citizenship Act, the Refugees Act and the Immigration Act and a review of the international treaty on refugee protection Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the cabinet has approved a white paper overhauling the country’s immigration laws after “robust engagements” that resulted in “wide support” of the document’s policy positions.... Read more...

Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s indifference to the plight of those affected by his decisions is appalling In the tumultuous seas of immigration law, where uncertainty looms and families are left adrift in bureaucratic limbo, the department of home affairs has emerged as a sinking ship. As a director of a firm of immigration attorneys I’ve witnessed first-hand the dire consequences of the department’s negligence and incompetence. Today, I raise my voice not just as an attorney but as a concerned citizen, urging for a radical overhaul to salvage what remains of our immigration system. We have tirelessly fought battles in the courtroom against home affairs’ disregard for agreed-upon time frames. Countless cases have landed on our desks, each one a testament to the systemic failures plaguing the department. We’ve seen cases where contempt applications were the only recourse, as the department brazenly ignored court orders.... Read more...

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has said the public has shown great support for the final White Paper on citizenship, immigration and refugee protection which appeared in the Government Gazette on Wednesday. Briefing the media, he addressed what he saw as a long-overdue need to replace an outdated Citizenship Act, as well as enact proposed changes to existing legislation.... Read more...

The Department of Home Affairs is going through a torrid time. As The South African reported earlier this year, naturalised South Africans are being refused smart ID cards. This is despite having the same constitutional rights as every other South African citizen. Now, Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi has decided to clarify the reasons behind lengthy delays for spousal visas.Business Tech reports that some spousal (and relatives) visas are taking up to two years to process. The minister of Home Affairs says this is because documentation and claims need to be verified. Replying to a parliamentary Q&A session, the minister says the issue is being addressed by the Home Affairs ‘Backlog Eradication Plan’.... Read more...

outh Africa seeks highly skilled individuals to live and work in SA. SA Migration Services will provide professional assistance to arrange your work visa for you if you qualify. Work Visas are regulated in terms of Section 19, Regulation 18 and items 18 (1), 19(2), 20, 21 and 22, of Schedule A.... Read more...