CRITICAL SKILLS VISA

This visa type was introduced in May 2014 and has replaced both the “quota work permit” and the “exceptional skills permit”. It is available to persons with qualifications and/or skills and experience in specific industries and fields. An extensive list of “Critical Skills” has been published by the government and contains pages of professions and fields together with the way in which an applicant needs to prove that he or she falls under them. Typically, there is a requirement for a letter from the relevant professional body, council or board, or from a relevant government body, confirming the qualifications / skills / number of years of experience in a particular category. If required by law, registration with such body, council or board is required. Due to the practical difficulties of registering with and obtaining such letters from most professional bodies, the Department of Home Affairs currently allows for some leeway and grants a 12-month window for providing these documents. Further, the applicant’s qualifications need to be evaluated by the South African evaluation authorities (SAQA Evaluation), which can be time-consuming and costly. After complying with all applicable requirements, this visa should be employer-independent (i.e. its holder can change employers without having to make an application to have the visa changed; in practice, it may not be easy to effect this) and issued for up to 5 years.