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So far, only two studies at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in 2004 and Rhodes University in 2005 have made attempts to determine the expenditure and foreign revenue impact of international students on South Africa.This work established that the quality of infrastructure in South Africa has resulted in a large and increasing inflow of students from other African countries. This inflow is mainly sustained by family and acquaintance networks as well as the support of source country governments. This has resulted in a large inflow of foreign revenue and employment for South Africa. However, certain local administrative processes and practices hinder the process. This text is an important reference source for theory of international migration, macroeconomics of international migration and net migration in South Africa. It can inform policy to increase the presence of international students at South African higher institutions of learning and also help policymakers and potential employers in selecting international students to plug the skills gap in South Africa.

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Naum Ogweny Aloyo, economist, currently a UJ Commonwealth Fellow and studying towards PhD in Economics at the University of Johannesburg.

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