Home Affairs launches new ‘fast-track’ visa scheme in South Africa
· The South African
South Africa is expanding a visa scheme aimed at making it easier for qualifying businesses to bring critical skills into the country and attract new investment.
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The Department of Home Affairs has gazetted the launch of Phase II of the Trusted Employer Scheme (TES), building on the first phase of the programme.
The department says the expanded scheme is designed to reduce red tape, support economic growth and help create jobs by making the immigration system more responsive to the needs of businesses.
The new phase will expand the scheme to include companies involved in strategic infrastructure projects, businesses setting up regional or global headquarters in South Africa, and qualifying companies in the financial sector.
How the Trusted Employer Scheme works
The TES uses a risk-based approach to simplify the visa application process for accredited employers.
The aim is to allow qualifying companies to recruit people with critical skills more quickly, while still protecting the integrity of South Africa’s immigration system.
To qualify, companies must meet several requirements, including showing that they:
- Make a meaningful investment in South Africa;
- Employ mainly South African citizens or permanent residents;
- Invest in skills development; and
- Operate in priority sectors.
Applications for Phase II will be assessed independently by an interdepartmental committee. Home Affairs said this is intended to ensure that the selection process is transparent and based on merit.
New Home Affairs online application system
The expanded scheme also forms part of Home Affairs’ wider push to modernise its services and move more processes online.
The department has introduced a dedicated online application process for the TES, which it says will eventually be integrated into the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) platform.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the expanded scheme showed that the department was increasingly working as an economic enabler rather than a constraint on businesses.
“The launch of a bigger and better TES is yet another marker that Home Affairs increasingly works as an economic enabler, rather than as a constraint,” Schreiber said.
He said the programme directly supported the Government of National Unity’s priority of growing the economy and creating jobs.
The Minister also added that the new online portal and planned integration with the ETA platform form part of Home Affairs’ broader digital transformation programme.
“Through our vision to deliver Home Affairs @ home, we are irrevocably committed to building a department that enables investment, creates jobs, and makes South Africa’s economy more globally competitive,” he said.
Businesses interested in participating in Phase II of the Trusted Employer Scheme can submit expressions of interest from 20 July 2026.
The application window will remain open until 4 September 2026.