Is foreign recruitment an answer to the shortage of critical skills in South Africa? A qualifications perspective (original) (raw)
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Developing a Competitive Skills Immigration Policy for South Africa
Journal of Social Sciences, 2014
Since skills shortages is a global phenomenon, there is fierce competition amongst countries to attract skilled labour so as to improve their competitive footing in the global economy. One major way that these countries strive to achieve their goal, is through promoting targeted skills immigration programmes to attract skilled workers. South Africa takes lessons from these countries in its attempt to alleviate its skills shortages and be part of this global economy. A literature review of South Africa's immigration policy was undertaken with a view to evaluate its approach for skills immigration.. A survey-based research design was adopted using a closed questionnaire to determine the respondents view on enlisting skilled labour for the purpose of reducing skills shortages in the country. The sample consisted of 800 organisations/businesses that seek to employ skilled foreign labour in South Africa. The outcome of this paper pointed to a general consensus that South Africa's policy on skills immigration is in need of radical review. It is highly restrictive, bureaucratic, user-unfriendly and costly to administer. Moreover, it serves as an impediment for business and industry to recruit skilled foreign labour into the country as a result of excessive, and often, unnecessary regulations and procedures.
Developing a Conceptual Framework of Skills Immigration in South Africa
Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 2014
South Africa is in the throes of a skills crisis. This situation is seriously hampering the country's economic progress and global participation. This study focuses on the analysis of skills migration in South Africa, and specifically aims to provide a conceptual framework for better cognition of the skills situation in South Africa. This crisis is largely due to the failure of the national education and training system to supply the economy with much needed skills required to support economic growth and job creation. The findings of this study indicated that there are various factors that are contributing to the skills shortages in the country. Some of the factors include: poor education standards, emigration, crime and HIV. It must be noted that these factors cannot be addressed overnight. Hence, this paper emphasised the role that skilled foreign workers can play in alleviating the skills shortages in the country. The contribution of foreign workers could be viewed as a short to medium solution to the skills crisis. Finally, this study has confirmed the findings of similar studies undertaken by the Centre for Development and Enterprise that opening the doors to high-skilled immigration can only serve as a means of supplementing the skills pool and hence contributing to the economic growth of the country.
The Effectiveness of South Africa’s Immigration Policy for Addressing Skills Shortages
Managing Global Transitions, 2012
South Africa is presently experiencing a serious shortage of skilled workers. This situation is negatively influencing the economic prospects and global participation of the country. The primary purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of sa's immigration policy to support skills immigration. The outcome of this study indicated that South Africa's immigration policy is restrictive and has undoubtedly influenced the shortage of skills in the country. This study has confirmed the findings of similar studies undertaken by the Centre for Development and Enterprise that South Africa's skills immigration policy is very restrictive and is thus not helpful in addressing the skills shortages of the country.
The nature, extent and effect of skills shortages on skills migration in South Africa
SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 2011
Orientation: South Africa is currently experiencing a serious shortage of skilled workers. It has a negative effect on South Africa’s economic prospects and on global participation in South Africa (SA). This skills shortage severely affects socioeconomic growth and development in SA. Research purpose: This study focuses on the causes and effects of the skills shortages in South Africa.Motivation for the study: The researchers undertook this study to highlight the role that skilled foreign workers can play in supplementing the shortage of skilled workers in South Africa. The shortage is partly because of the failure of the national education and training system to supply the economy with much-needed skills.Research design, approach and method: The researchers undertook a literature study to identify the nature, extent and effect of skills shortages in South Africa. They consulted a wide range of primary and secondary resources in order to acquire an in-depth understanding of the prob...
SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 2007
This study investigated procedures and processes used in the selection of prospective foreign applicants by recruitment agencies in South Africa. An electronic survey was distributed to the accessible population of 244 agencies on a national employment website, yielding 57 respondents. The results indicate that the recruitment industry does not have standard, well articulated procedures for identifying and selecting prospective foreign employees and considered processing foreign applicants difficult. Difficulties with the Department of Home Affairs were a major hindrance to recruiting foreign applicants.
Skills Shortage in South Africa: Interrogating the Repertoire of Discussions
Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 2014
"The object of this paper was to examine skills shortage in South Africa specifically to unearth the myriad arguments around the subject but more importantly to unveil what has consistently lacked in the narratives of previous authors on the subject. In this regard, this paper has provided interesting insights into the attempts by countries such as New Zealand and Australia in stemming the tide of the scourge. The authors chose literature review as the main source of data collection. The paper also dishes what the authors consider as possible remedies to the scourge, while it advises that the problem of skills shortage is not the exclusive preserve of government. Further, the authors acknowledge that although the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) and its learnership programmes have experienced a huge amount of criticism, skills development is and will remain a dynamic and evolving process for addressing skills shortage as a long term strategy. There is no doubt that this paper has value in that it draws attention to the various issues associated with skills shortage especially in South Africa. Although the problem of skills shortage has been previously identified, it should be noted that it presents a significant problem in any society, and therefore demands regular attention."
The implications of South Africa's skills migration policy for country competitiveness
Development Southern Africa, 2002
South Africa suffers from a shortage of skills, while at the same time having an excess of unskilled labour. The brain drain and the impact of HIV/Aids are threats to the current skills level in the labour force. Skilled workers generally create jobs for unskilled workers, and the level of skills in the labour force is an attraction for foreign investment. The new international migration policy imposes nancial penalties and other restrictions on employers of foreigners with skills. The policy is detrimental to South Africa's competitiveness in the global economy and will deter investors and those needing to utilise skills not available in the South African labour market. A general immigration policy would be more appropriate to attract skilled foreigners to South Africa, where their skills can be absorbed into the labour force by supply and demand forces.