Working in South Africa: Everything you need to know about obtaining a work permit

If you are considering immigrating to South Africa on a work permit or visa holder, the process of obtaining the necessary paperwork can seem very daunting and confusing. And it's no wonder: There are five different categories of work permit alone! Knowing which kind of permit for which you should apply is the first step in the process.

Categories of South Africa Work Permits

Intra-comapany transfers: This is the category of work permit for which you should apply if you are required to relocate within your current company (or an associated company) if that transfer requires you to take a temporary position in the South Africa.

Quota work permit: Periodically, the Department of Labor will examine the workforce in South Africa and determine in which industries more workers are needed. Works from abroad who hold the necessary qualifications to fill those jobs may apply to work in South Africa on a quota work permit. A quota work permit can be issued even before the person has been offered a job, which can be a real asset during the job search process because the worker can be ready to work immediately should a job offer be made.

Exceptional skills permit: Designed to allow people with unique, in-demand skills and experience to work in South Africa, such as a surgeon who has developed a new surgical technique.

Corporate workers permit: In some cases, a South African company will need to recruit workers from other countries. This can either be because of a shortage of skilled workers in a particular industry or because the job requires a particular skill that can best be carried out by a person from overseas. An example of this may be a job that has foreign language element to it. That company will be able to apply for a corporate workers permit, allowing them to recruit a specific number of workers to fill specific roles within their company. A company that holds a corporate workers permit can then apply for individual work permits for their international staff.

General work permits: If you do not fit under any of the other categories, you'll have to apply for a general work permit if you would like to work in South Africa. The downside to this kind of permit is that they cannot be issued unless a job offer has already been made. In addition, the prospective employer must prove that they have taken sufficient steps to try to fill the job with a person from South Africa before offering the job to someone from another country.

Corporate permits: When a company expects that they will have some vacancies in their workforce in the upcoming few years, that company can apply for a corporate permit.

As you can see, there are a few different kinds of work permits that can be issued to those who wish to work in South Africa. It is very important that you understand what kind of permit you should be applying for before you initiate the application process. Otherwise, you could be wasting precious time, time that could be spent starting your new job and your new life in beautiful South Africa!