The list outlines the professions eligible for South African critical skills work visas, serving as an essential tool for local businesses. These visas are granted exclusively to individuals with skills or qualifications considered vital for the country. Recently, former minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced updates to South Africa’s work visa system, including revisions to the critical skills list. President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted these reforms during his 2023 State of the Nation Address.
“Having completed a comprehensive review of the work visa system, we will move quickly to implement the recommendations put forward. These include establishing a more flexible points-based system to attract skilled immigration, implementing a trusted employer scheme to make the visa process easier for large investors and streamlining application requirements”
President Cyril Ramaphosa
Motsoaledi gazetted the amendments to the regulations in May 2024. Companies can now expedite the gazetting process for critical skills deemed essential, eliminating the previous four-year waiting period. This change aims to ensure faster approval for in-demand skills. The new regulations also introduce a points-based system to replace the critical skills list. This system is intended to remove the requirement for a letter from the Department of Labour for General Work visas.
“Just this week, we published new regulations to reform our visa system, which will make it easier to attract the skills that our economy needs and create a dynamic ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship”
President Cyril Ramaphosa
Read the full article here : “Most valuable tech skills in South Africa”
