South Africa plans to give permanent residence permits to foreign students

Foreign nationals with special skills, passing out of universities in South Africa will be eligible for permanent residence permits. This is a bid by the government to retain them in the country and utilise their skills, according to an announcement made by Malusi Gigaba, South African Home Affairs Minister, in April this year.

Speaking during the budget vote speech in Parliament, Gigaba said that international students comprise a crucial section, which is given precedence to by most governments the world over owing to the socio-economic benefits that they present to their adopted countries in the form of skillsets and constructive contributions to the society at large.

The Home Affairs department is said to have issued 4,424 key skills visas in 2015. With a mission to promote tourism and investment into the country, two premium business visa facilitation centres will be opened in Port Elizabeth and Durban and one probably in Cape Town, added Gigaba.

Students of Indian origin in South Africa can make use of this opportunity and settle down in the Rainbow nation.