Pretoria - Home Affairs has shown its commitment to heed President Jacob Zuma's call to make 2011 the Year of Jobs.
Briefing Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, Deputy Director General Jackie McKay said the department had proposed that foreign nationals with business interests in South Africa employ citizens or permanent residents, making up not less than 80 percent of the staff compliment of the business.
This, McKay said, had to be done within a period of 12 months from the date of issue of the visa to do business in SA.
The prescribed categories will be determined by, amongst others, the Department of Trade and Industry.
McKay also revealed that during the public hearings on the Immigration Amendment Bill, parties also agreed that some form of pre-screening of those seeking asylum in South Africa (relating to entry requirements in terms of the Immigration Act, rather than the Refugees Act) was necessary.
This will help the country to deal with, for instance, fugitives from justice, who are seeking refuge in South Africa. Once an asylum seeker has been successfully pre-screened, he or she will be directed to the closest Refugee Reception Office, where his or her entry into South Africa will be processed according to the Refugee Act.
Some of the other suggested changes proposed by department officials include the decreased sentences for officials and foreign nationals implicated in fraudulent and corrupt practices.
Parties will continue to deliberate on the issues presented by the Home Affairs Department. Afterwards, the Bill will be voted on in the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee before being voted on by the National Assembly.
