Tag: Xpatweb

Almost three months after South Africa introduced the long-awaited Remote Work Visa to attract foreign digital nomads who can choose any exotic destination in the world to work from, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) sees an uptick in enquiries from these remote workers who want to move to South Africa, and specifically to Cape Town.

A significant change introduced by the newly gazetted regulations on 20 May 2024, was the implementation of the Remote Work Visa in South Africa. This visa allows individuals employed by foreign companies to work remotely in South Africa. This is similar to the nomad visas now popular in many countries across the globe.

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has launched the re-packaging of the Corporate Accounts service with a Pilot Project for Trusted Employers. The Trusted Employer Scheme (TES) aims to provide qualifying companies a means to a flexible pathway for skilled applicants to obtain work visas expeditiously in line with global best practice.

Navigating the various work visa applications is quite tricky. Individuals and HR professionals assisting employees in applying for their work visas often face lengthy qualifying criteria and a complex application process that can be difficult to get right the first time around. 

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has recently introduced a centralised adjudication system which sees that all long-term visa applications submitted through a South African Embassy or High Commission (Missions) (in countries where South Africa is represented) are being sent to the DHA Head Office in Pretoria.

With unemployment figures at an all-time high and South Africa facing numerous economic challenges, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and the Department of Labour (DoL) are again taking steps to curb the employment of illegal foreign nationals living in South Africa.

On 10 September 2021, Mauritius officially reopened its borders to South Africans, ending the 18-month travel ban imposed on SA visitors. The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) openly welcomed South African tourists back to the Mauritius shores, which is a token of the relationship between the two countries.

Whether you are a South African looking for work opportunities abroad, or a foreign national wanting to work in South Africa, you still need a work permit or a visa to make the transition. However, job seekers the world over are quick to send out their CV’s and engaging foreign companies without knowing what exactly a work permit is or why they need one.

Following a shift towards global recruitment processes, many South Africans have succumbed to the lustre of opportunities that lie in wait in foreign countries. Eager to find international career advancement, or simply to earn a foreign salary, they put their skills and qualifications on the line and begin applying for work overseas.

The Department of Home Affairs is currently calling for public comment on the draft of a new Critical Skills List. However, Foreign Language Speakers, a role that featured in the previous list, has been omitted from the draft List. Foreign language employees are more valuable than the language they speak and are critical to job creation inside South Africa’s borders.