With an unemployment rate of above 30%, South Africa is aiming to attract immigrants who will contribute to the country’s economy. (Photo: Job seekers in South Africa displaying their skills)

SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa unveils draft White Paper on immigration overhaul

January 2026: South Africa’s government has taken the first step toward what it describes as the most comprehensive reform of its immigration, citizenship and refugee protection frameworks in a generation, with the release of a draft revised White Paper. Published in the Government Gazette on 12 December 2025, the policy document is now open for public comment, signalling a shift toward a more economic and merit-centred approach to migration policy.

Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber says the draft White Paper aims to modernise the country’s immigration architecture, enhance compliance and national security, improve service delivery, and support economic development. It responds to long-standing concerns that the current system, heavily weighted toward family-based and humanitarian visas, has failed to attract sufficient economic migrants and skills that align with national priorities.

A central plank of the proposed reforms is a move toward merit-based pathways for both long-term residence and citizenship. Under the draft, permanent residence and naturalisation would no longer be awarded automatically after a set period of residence. Instead, a points-based system would assess applicants on criteria such as skills, investment, job creation and other contributions to the South African economy and society, aligning the country’s framework with systems used in Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.

The draft also calls for a rationalisation and expansion of visa categories. A new Skilled Worker Visa would replace the current Critical Skills and General Work visas, offering a single employment-based route at various skill levels, while employers would sponsor foreign workers. Additional proposed categories include a Start-Up Visa for entrepreneurs, an Investment Visa with defined capital and job-creation thresholds, Sectoral Work Visas tailored to specific industries and a Sports and Arts Visa to draw talent in creative and sporting sectors.

One high-profile change under consideration would tighten eligibility for retirement visas, which have previously been granted without an age threshold. Government data shows a significant number of applicants are under 55, and evidence suggests some later take up work without proper employment authorisation. The draft proposes a minimum age requirement and higher financial criteria intended to reserve the category for genuine retirees.

Beyond visas, the White Paper proposes a stronger fiscal and administrative framework. Amendments could enable the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to tax all immigrants, regardless of status, and banks to monitor accounts, while digital measures such as the Electronic Travel Authorisation and an Intelligent Population Register aim to tighten compliance and border controls.

Public reaction to the proposals has been mixed. Supporters argue that aligning migration policy with economic needs could help drive growth and fill skills gaps, while critics warn that overly strict rules might deter investment or talent if poorly implemented.

Further reading from The Immigrant Times: Millions of migrants live and work in South Africa, but xenophobia is on the rise ||

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WORLD

Migration: A story of opportunity, human progress and shared development

A statement by the International Organisation for Migration

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December 2025:  Each year, on 18 December, the world observes International Migrants Day (IMD). To mark the occasion, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), an UN-related organisation, is reaffirming migration as a story of opportunity, human progress, and shared development and calling for stronger, more robust migration systems that protect people on the move and support the communities that welcome them.

The day recognises the contributions of migrants worldwide and underscores the importance of protecting their rights and dignity. In 2025, the Day is marked under the theme My Great Story: Cultures and Development, highlighting how human mobility enriches societies, drives economic growth, and strengthens connections across communities.

“Migration is woven into the lives of families and communities everywhere. It is a story of courage, determination, and the ties that bind us across borders,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “Today, we honour the people who set out in search of safety and opportunity and call for global solidarity in shaping fair and inclusive systems that protect them. When migration is managed with dignity and purpose, it benefits everyone.”

Every migrant carries a personal story of hope, courage, and the desire for a better life. When systems protect people along their journey, those stories can unfold safely. Today, an estimated 304 million people, or nearly 4 per cent of the global population, live outside their country of birth. This number has grown steadily as people move for work, safety, education, and family.

Migrants contribute in many ways to the communities where they live and work, bringing skills, creativity, and entrepreneurship that strengthen local economies. Labour migrants support essential sectors including healthcare, construction, agriculture, and technology, providing vital assistance in countries with aging populations.

Their earnings also sustain families back home. In 2024, migrants sent an estimated USD 905 billion in international remittances, most of which went to middle and low-income countries. These transfers help households cover food, education, and medical care and in many cases exceed the value of foreign aid and investment flows. 

Beyond these financial contributions, migrants also enrich the social and cultural fabric of communities. They carry new ideas, foster cultural exchange, build business networks, and spark innovation, benefiting both their countries of origin and the places where they settle.

Yet migration is shaped by growing challenges. By the end of 2024, 83.4 million people were internally displaced due to conflict, violence, and disasters, while new emergencies continued to push communities beyond their coping capacity. 

While most migration takes place safely and regularly, many people still face serious risks when crossing borders, particularly where regular pathways are limited. People who must flee suddenly often have few options and may turn to irregular routes. These journeys can involve dangerous sea and desert crossings, exploitation, and limited access to assistance and protection. The Mediterranean Sea remains one of the deadliest migration routes, with more than 33,000 recorded deaths since 2014.

Every migrant’s journey is different, but the need for safety and dignity is universal. By strengthening systems that support people at every stage of mobility, countries can unlock the developmental dividends of migration and uphold the rights and well-being of every person on the move.

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EUROPE / AFRICA

EU-funded return programme for African migrants faces scrutiny over unfulfilled promises

Thousands of Africans returned home through the EU programme. Many say they’ve been abandoned

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November 2025: A recent investigation by the Associated Press (AP) has raised questions about how effectively a European Union–funded migration programme, administered by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), is helping Africans who return home after failed or interrupted journeys to Europe.

Between 2022 and 2025, the IOM says it repatriated more than 100,000 migrants from North Africa and Niger to their home countries under the EU-financed initiative, with a reported budget of around US$380 million. The programme’s stated goal is to offer voluntary return and reintegration, providing returnees with counselling, job training, medical care, and start-up grants to help them rebuild their lives.

According to the IOM, about 90,000 returnees have begun the reintegration process, and roughly 60,000 have “completed” it. The organisation says 58 per cent of the total funding goes directly to post-return assistance and that delays in disbursement or delivery stem from logistical and documentation hurdles.

But AP reporters who interviewed returnees in Guinea, Gambia, and other sub-Saharan countries found many migrants who said the promised support never arrived. Several described receiving only brief orientation sessions or contact details, but no tangible follow-up, funding, or employment opportunities.

“We were told there would be help to start small businesses, but nothing came,” one returnee told AP. “Now we’re back where we started.”

Critics, including migration policy researchers and European auditors, argue that the program suffers from weak oversight and poor transparency. A report from the European Court of Auditors previously found that earlier phases of EU-funded return programs failed to demonstrate measurable impact or sustainable reintegration.

The European Union frames the initiative as part of a broader migration-management strategy designed to curb irregular crossings into Europe. According to EU data cited by AP, such crossings in the first eight months of 2025 were down roughly 20 per cent compared to the previous year.

Supporters of the programme say it provides safe, voluntary alternatives to dangerous sea journeys and helps migrants trapped in exploitative or unstable situations in Libya, Niger, and beyond. The IOM has acknowledged delays in the delivery of assistance and says it is reviewing cases in which migrants claim they were left without the promised aid.

However, the AP report suggests that while the EU’s approach may be effective in reducing migration numbers, it may fall short in ensuring long-term reintegration and dignity for returnees, a key test of whether such programmes are humanitarian or primarily deterrent in nature.

As migration pressures persist and Europe’s political debate intensifies, the question remains whether programs like this can truly deliver on both humanitarian and policy goals, or if, as many returnees argue, they risk becoming symbolic gestures rather than sustainable solutions.

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Further reading: Mauritania accused of human rights abuse against African migrants || Dafur refugee crisis ||

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EUROPE / LIBYA

European authorities return tens of thousands of migrants to 'unsafe Libya'

October 2025: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 1,004 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya during the last week of September, according to its latest maritime update.

The operations, which took place from September 21 to 27, 2025, resulted in disembarkations at multiple points along the Libyan coast, including Zwara, Tripoli, Alkhums, and Misrata.

This latest weekly figure adds to a bleak annual total. So far in 2025, some 19,000 migrants have been intercepted and sent back to Libya. The IOM’s data breakdown reveals that most of those returned are men (16,640), along with 1,720 women and 696 children.

The report also highlights the extreme dangers of the Central Mediterranean route. From the beginning of January to the end of September 2025, at least 460 deaths and 423 missing persons have been recorded, though the IOM notes these figures are estimates and subject to revision.

The situation represents a continuing trend of high migrant interceptions off the Libyan coast. The 2025 numbers to date are already approaching the total for the entire previous year, when 21,762 migrants were returned to Libya in 2024. The figure for 2023 was 17,190.

In a critical disclaimer, the IOM reiterates that it plays no role in the interception operations themselves and, crucially, does not consider Libya to be a safe port for migrants.

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Source: The International Organization for Migration (IOM)

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Further reading: Mauritania accused of human rights abuse against African migrants ||

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