DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: IMMIGRATION SERVICES is a South African government vacancy at Department of Home Affairs (DHA). This job is part of Circular 20 of 2026 from the DPSA. centre: Headquarters: Head Office, Pretoria | closing date: 13 July 2026. Use this page to review the requirements, duties, application instructions and official source links before applying.
Job details
Branch
Immigration Services
Salary
R1 885 710 – R2 124 237 per annum (Level 15), an all-inclusive salary package, structured as follows: Basic salary – 70% of package; State contribution to the Government Employee Pension Fund – 13% of basic salary. The remaining flexible portion may be structured in terms of the applicable remuneration rules.
Centre
Headquarters: Head Office, Pretoria
Requirements
- A qualification in Law, Business Management, Public Management, Public Administration, Operations Management, Public Policy or in a relevant field at NQF level 8 as recognized by SAQA.
- 8 Years’ experience at a Senior Management Service level within a highly pressured, complex and litigious operational environment, preferably within immigration services, migration management, law enforcement, regulatory administration, or a related field.
- Proven track record of operating successfully at a strategic / executive leadership level within a large organization of comparable size and complexity as well as public sector experience will serve as an added advantage.
- Extensive knowledge and understanding of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Public Service legislative and regulatory frameworks, Government structures, and the legislative and operational frameworks governing immigration management and the enforcement of the Immigration Act.
- Sound knowledge and understanding of migration governance frameworks, including economic development considerations, international relations, international migration law, international conventions on migration, and applicable continental and regional migration protocols.
- Sound knowledge and understanding of government planning and governance frameworks, including the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP), Government Planning Frameworks, and the principles of good corporate governance (King IV).
- A Valid driver’s licence or ability to fulfil the operational travel requirements of the post independently, through maintaining reliable transport arrangements for the execution of official duties, as well as willingness to travel and work extended hours.
- Successful completion of the Nyukela Pre-entry Certificate to Senior Management Services.
- Skills and competencies: Strong strategic, digital and transformational leadership capability, including the ability to drive innovation, leverage emerging technologies, lead large-scale organisational transformation and modernisation initiatives, and oversee the modernisation of Immigration processes and systems, digital governance controls and technology-enabled oversight mechanisms within a digital-first environment.
- Advanced operational and regulatory management capability, including service delivery innovation, programme and project management, operational planning, governance oversight, risk management, regulatory compliance, and the ability to deliver results in a highly complex and demanding environment.
- Sound strategic, analytical and problem-solving capability, including datadriven decision-making, policy development, knowledge and information management, operational performance analysis, and the ability to strengthen organisational effectiveness, service delivery outcomes and regulatory compliance.
- Sound financial and resource management capability, including budgeting, financial management, financial reporting, resource optimisation and accountability for organisational performance within a complex operational environment.
- Excellent stakeholder management and interpersonal skills, including client orientation and customer focus, communication, presentation, business report writing, influencing, networking, negotiation and conflict management, with the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with government institutions, international partners and other strategic stakeholders.
- Strong people leadership capability, including team leadership, employee empowerment, change management, coaching and the ability to foster a high-performance, ethical and service-oriented organisational culture.
- High levels of professionalism, sound judgement, honesty, integrity, attention to detail, and a commitment to ethical governance and public service excellence.
Duties
- The successful candidate will be responsible for, amongst others, the following key functions: Provide strategic and executive leadership to the Branch: Immigration Services, including the effective management of human, financial and physical resources, as well as governance, risk and compliance processes.
- Provide strategic leadership and guidance on immigration management matters, including the implementation of immigration legislation, operational modernisation, regulatory compliance and service delivery improvement initiatives.
- Lead the implementation of strategic objectives and innovation initiatives within the Branch, including legislative reforms, digital transformation, process optimisation and organisational culture transformation to enhance operational efficiency and client service delivery.
- Drive the Branch’s Digital Transformation Programme through the implementation of secure, modern and future-ready immigration systems and platforms, including the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), integrated biometric solutions and digital immigration registration platforms that promote digital inclusion and equitable access to services.
- Provide strategic leadership on permitting services and the administration of immigration functions in accordance with the Immigration Act, 2002 (Act No.
- 13 of 2002), including asylum seeker management and related immigration services.
- Provide strategic direction on immigration port control policy, immigration operations and regulatory enforcement capabilities.
- Lead inspectorate and immigration enforcement services, including the identification and implementation of measures to detect, prevent and address illegal immigration and ensure compliance with immigration legislation.
- Facilitate strategic stakeholder engagement and partnerships with government institutions, law enforcement agencies, international organisations and other key stakeholders, including representing the Department at national, regional and international forums.
- Oversee the development, review and implementation of immigration policies, frameworks, systems and codes of practice aligned to legislative prescripts, governance standards and organisational priorities.
- Ensure the effective delivery of immigration services in accordance with applicable service standards and organisational commitments, including the achievement of Branch performance targets, strengthening governance and internal control systems, and supporting clean audit outcomes.
- Lead the institutionalisation of digital innovation, ethical governance, organisational values and people-centred service delivery practices across the Branch.
Enquiries
Ms Proby Reddy at (060) 976 7508) or Ms Sandra Mkhaliphi at (072) 527 6033
Applications
Where to send your application.
Applications compliant with the “Directions to Applicants” above, must be submitted online at https://erecruitment.dha.gov.za, or via email to imsrecruitment@dha.gov.za (limited to 2.5MB in size. Should an automated acknowledgement of receipt not be received when an application is emailed, this could mean that the application was not received due to the size of the attachments. Should this occur, kindly resend the application in 2 / 3 parts, splitting the attachments accordingly), or delivered for the attention of the enquires person cited for this post, to the Department of Home Affairs, Head Office, 5th Floor Hallmark Building, 230 Johannes Ramokhoase Street, Pretoria Central.
Department Notes
applications Must be submitted on or before the closing date; accompanied by a fully completed and signed Application for Employment Form (New Z83, effective from 1 January 2021, obtainable at www.dpsa.gov.za), citing the correct post number and job title; a comprehensive CV (citing the start and end date (dd/mm/yy), job title, detailed duties performed and exit reason for each employment period to be considered, as well as the details of at least two contactable employment references (as recent as possible)); as well as relevant educational qualifications / RPL certificates / Academic Transcripts of completed qualifications, regardless of online, email or manual submission. Applicants who possess (a) foreign qualification(s), are furthermore required to submit the evaluated results of such qualifications as received from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). Pre-Screening: During pre-screening, candidates may be directed to submit additional supporting documentation such as a copy of their ID document, a valid driver’s license (if specified as a job requirement), acting letters, amongst others. Selection: Shortlisted candidates – will be subject to various assessments, such as an interview(s) and technical test(s) (which assess the candidate’s professional and technical competency against the job requirements and duties, general job fit, integrity and digital literacy); potentially considered suitable after the interview(s) and test(s), will be subjected to further mandatory assessments (which, amongst others, assesses the candidate’s proficiency in the core, professional and behavioural competencies attached to the level of the post within the Senior Management Service), employment suitability checks (credit, criminal, citizenship, qualifications, social media background, conducting business with State; and employment references including verification of relevant employment tenures, pending disciplinary action and exit reasons); will be required to submit a Declaration of Business Interests and successfully complete the online Nyukela Pre-entry Certificate to Senior Management Services course, which can be accessed via: http://www.thensg.gov.za/training-course/sms-pre-entry-programme/. Candidates wishing to be considered for appointment, are encouraged to enrol for this course immediately. All shortlisted candidates, including SMS, shall undertake two pre-entry assessments. One must be a practical exercise, and the other must be an Integrity (Ethical Conduct) Assessment. Selection panels shall score both technical exercises as an additional criterion in the interview process. Appointment: Once appointed, the completion of an employment contract, performance agreement, financial disclosure; and the undergoing of a compulsory induction programme, serving a prescribed probation period, and undergoing security vetting will be required. Unless otherwise indicated, correspondence between the Department and candidates generally will be limited to shortlisted candidates. The DHA complies with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (Act No. 4 of 2013). Personal information submitted will be processed solely for recruitment purposes, retained where required for audit, and safeguarded against unauthorised disclosure, except where legally required. Submission of an application constitutes consent to such processing. ERRATUM: Kindly note that the post of Local Office Manager, North West: Large Office: Klerksdorp with Ref No: HRMC 30/26/1b, that was advertised in Public Service Vacancy Circular 19 dated 05 June 2026, is amended to Local Office Manager, North West: Large Office: Mmabatho. To this effect, the closing date for this post has been extended to 03 July 2026. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.
Original Text
Branch: Immigration Services
SALARY : R1 885 710 – R2 124 237 per annum (Level 15), an all-inclusive salary package, structured as follows: Basic salary – 70% of package; State
contribution to the Government Employee Pension Fund – 13% of basic salary.
The remaining flexible portion may be structured in terms of the applicable remuneration rules.
CENTRE : Headquarters: Head Office, Pretoria
REQUIREMENTS : A qualification in Law, Business Management, Public Management, Public Administration, Operations Management, Public Policy or in a relevant field at
NQF level 8 as recognized by SAQA. 8 Years’ experience at a Senior
Management Service level within a highly pressured, complex and litigious operational environment, preferably within immigration services, migration
management, law enforcement, regulatory administration, or a related field.
Proven track record of operating successfully at a strategic / executive leadership level within a large organization of comparable size and complexity
as well as public sector experience will serve as an added advantage.
Extensive knowledge and understanding of the Constitution of the Republic of
South Africa, Public Service legislative and regulatory frameworks,
Government structures, and the legislative and operational frameworks governing immigration management and the enforcement of the Immigration
Act. Sound knowledge and understanding of migration governance frameworks, including economic development considerations, international
relations, international migration law, international conventions on migration, and applicable continental and regional migration protocols. Sound knowledge
and understanding of government planning and governance frameworks, including the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP), Government Planning
Frameworks, and the principles of good corporate governance (King IV). A
Valid driver’s licence or ability to fulfil the operational travel requirements of the post independently, through maintaining reliable transport arrangements for the
execution of official duties, as well as willingness to travel and work extended hours. Successful completion of the Nyukela Pre-entry Certificate to Senior
Management Services. Skills and competencies: Strong strategic, digital and transformational leadership capability, including the ability to drive innovation,
leverage emerging technologies, lead large-scale organisational transformation and modernisation initiatives, and oversee the modernisation of
Immigration processes and systems, digital governance controls and technology-enabled oversight mechanisms within a digital-first environment.
Advanced operational and regulatory management capability, including service delivery innovation, programme and project management, operational
planning, governance oversight, risk management, regulatory compliance, and the ability to deliver results in a highly complex and demanding environment.
Sound strategic, analytical and problem-solving capability, including datadriven decision-making, policy development, knowledge and information management, operational performance analysis, and the ability to strengthen
organisational effectiveness, service delivery outcomes and regulatory compliance. Sound financial and resource management capability, including
budgeting, financial management, financial reporting, resource optimisation and accountability for organisational performance within a complex operational
environment. Excellent stakeholder management and interpersonal skills, including client orientation and customer focus, communication, presentation,
business report writing, influencing, networking, negotiation and conflict management, with the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with
government institutions, international partners and other strategic stakeholders. Strong people leadership capability, including team leadership,
employee empowerment, change management, coaching and the ability to foster a high-performance, ethical and service-oriented organisational culture.
High levels of professionalism, sound judgement, honesty, integrity, attention to detail, and a commitment to ethical governance and public service
excellence.
DUTIES : The successful candidate will be responsible for, amongst others, the following key functions: Provide strategic and executive leadership to the Branch:
Immigration Services, including the effective management of human, financial and physical resources, as well as governance, risk and compliance
processes. Provide strategic leadership and guidance on immigration management matters, including the implementation of immigration legislation,
operational modernisation, regulatory compliance and service delivery improvement initiatives. Lead the implementation of strategic objectives and
innovation initiatives within the Branch, including legislative reforms, digital transformation, process optimisation and organisational culture transformation
to enhance operational efficiency and client service delivery. Drive the Branch’s
Digital Transformation Programme through the implementation of secure, modern and future-ready immigration systems and platforms, including the
Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), integrated biometric solutions and digital immigration registration platforms that promote digital inclusion and equitable
access to services. Provide strategic leadership on permitting services and the administration of immigration functions in accordance with the Immigration Act,
2002 (Act No. 13 of 2002), including asylum seeker management and related immigration services. Provide strategic direction on immigration port control
policy, immigration operations and regulatory enforcement capabilities. Lead inspectorate and immigration enforcement services, including the identification
and implementation of measures to detect, prevent and address illegal immigration and ensure compliance with immigration legislation. Facilitate
strategic stakeholder engagement and partnerships with government institutions, law enforcement agencies, international organisations and other
key stakeholders, including representing the Department at national, regional and international forums. Oversee the development, review and
implementation of immigration policies, frameworks, systems and codes of practice aligned to legislative prescripts, governance standards and
organisational priorities. Ensure the effective delivery of immigration services in accordance with applicable service standards and organisational
commitments, including the achievement of Branch performance targets, strengthening governance and internal control systems, and supporting clean
audit outcomes. Lead the institutionalisation of digital innovation, ethical governance, organisational values and people-centred service delivery
practices across the Branch.
ENQUIRIES : Ms Proby Reddy at (060) 976 7508) or Ms Sandra Mkhaliphi at (072) 527 6033
APPLICATIONS : Applications compliant with the “Directions to Applicants” above, must be submitted online at https://erecruitment.dha.gov.za, or via email to
imsrecruitment@dha.gov.za (limited to 2.5MB in size. Should an automated acknowledgement of receipt not be received when an application is emailed,
this could mean that the application was not received due to the size of the attachments. Should this occur, kindly resend the application in 2 / 3 parts,
splitting the attachments accordingly), or delivered for the attention of the enquires person cited for this post, to the Department of Home Affairs, Head
Office, 5th Floor Hallmark Building, 230 Johannes Ramokhoase Street,
Pretoria Central.
Official source
This vacancy was imported from DPSA Circular 20 of 2026 for reference.
Disclaimer: This vacancy was imported from the official DPSA circular PDF. Please confirm the reference number, closing date, and application instructions in the original circular before applying. View the official DPSA vacancy circulars.