SOUTH AFRICA – DHA Releases Details for New Critical Skills Work Visa
As recent immigration legislation changes have led to the creation of the Critical Skills Work Visa, which may be issued for up to five years, the South African Department of Home Affairs has recently published the list of employment categories and classes that qualify for this visa. The DHA has identified approximately 214 critical skills within the broader critical-skills classifications. The complete list of critical skills may be found here.
In theory, the Critical Skills Work Visa replaces the Quota Work Permit. Foreign nationals whose skills or experience meet the qualifications of one of the categories or classes should do the following: obtain written confirmation of their qualifications by a professional body, council, or board recognized by the South Africa Qualifications Authority (SAQA), or any other relevant government department; and then have the qualifications evaluated by SAQA, and, if required by law, provide proof of registration with the relevant body, board, or council. Businesses may benefit from this type of visa as there are several advantages: foreign nationals with many diverse skills qualify, there is no quota assigned to each category or class, and applicants do not have to undergo the more burdensome labor certification process, as General Work Visa applicants do.