South Africa's ELT industry experienced a 19% growth in student numbers last year, showing signs of recovery from a visa policy impasse that suddenly plugged the healthy flow of students into the country in 2015.
A settlement has been reached between the South African government and Education South Africa following court proceedings, after last year's worrying declines in ESL enrolments due to a visa policy impasse.
EduSA has resorted to court action over what it has called an “unconstitutional rejection of study visas”, following a longstanding policy impasse that EFL providers say has significantly damaged their business.
Education South Africa and the Brazilian Educational and Language Travel Association have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to encourage more Brazilian students to study English in South Africa.
To overcome a current stalemate situation around new immigration rules in South Africa, some English language schools are undergoing a new accreditation process to resolve issues over long-term study visa issuance.
Changes to visa regulations introduced this year are harming EFL schools, according to South Africa's association of English language providers, which estimates that immigration rules may cut some schools’ business by up to 60%.
A group of 11 education agents from BELTA, the Brazilian Educational & Language Travel Association, has just returned from a familiarisation trip of South Africa that will likely boost bookings from Brazilians keen to learn English and study in the country, say organisers.
The English language travel industry in South Africa saw growth in both student numbers and weeks from 2011 to 2012 and providers are bullish about 2013 after a solid first half of the year according to the national association of English language centres, EduSA. Improved numbers are driven by renewal in interest from traditional European markets and a boom from neighbouring African countries.
