Employment of foreign academics at universities and colleges, with DHET Minister & DHA Deputy Minister

At a joint meeting of the Portfolio Committees on Higher Education and on Home Affairs, Members received briefings from the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Department of Home Affairs on the employment of foreign nationals across universities, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, and Community Education and Training (CET) colleges. According to audited data presented from the Higher Education Management Information System, South African citizens constituted 92.26% of the post-school education workforce in 2024, while foreign nationals accounted for 7.74%. The data indicated that the majority of foreign employees were concentrated in academic roles. Of the full-time foreign staff complement, 82.89% served as instructional or research professionals, with the remainder occupying administrative, technical and support positions. The Department of Higher Education and Training indicated that it was working with the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Employment and Labour to strengthen data integrity and ensure alignment with national policy priorities. The Department emphasised that internationalisation remained a strategic component of South Africa’s higher education system, contributing to research collaboration, curriculum internationalisation, academic benchmarking and broader global competitiveness. Presentations also outlined the legislative and administrative frameworks governing the employment of foreign nationals in higher education institutions. Particular attention was given to the use of the Critical Skills List and its relevance to recommendations arising from Operation Vulindlela. However, the briefings highlighted persistent gaps in data management and interdepartmental coordination, complicating efforts to verify whether institutions consistently complied with legal requirements when appointing foreign staff. Members reported that oversight visits had revealed instances where foreign nationals oc