Frustrated by Britain's apparent reluctance to lift its visa requirements for South Africans, the government is considering playing tit-for-tat and demanding the same from UK visitors. This is just speculation at this point, but the UK makes it difficult to obtain visas for South African Passport Holders. This comes against the backdrop of the British government’s decision to halt development aid to South Africa worth £19m (R271m) from 2015.

Currently UK passport holders are visa exempt, so they can enter SA and receive 90 days upon entry. It’s not the case with SA nationals. They must go through quite the process to secure a visa. Back in 2009, the UK decided that due to fraudulent activity and ease of obtaining SA passports, that it was too risky to offer a visa-free status. Tourism experts worry that this would be damaging to South Africa’s tourism economy. The UK is the largest tourism market currently for SA. In 2012, the number of tourists here surpassed the 9 million mark. Most are from Europe, but visitors from China and Brazil have more than doubled.

It is often confusing as to the difference between the 190 State Sponsorship Skilled Visa and the 489 Regional Sponsorship visas .If you could not pass the points test by achieving a points score of at least 60 then these routes will give you the extra points.  State will give you 5 extra points and Regional will give you 10 extra points. You will still need to nominate an occupation included in the skilled occupation list; to have your skill assessed by a qualified assessing authority to determine if one’s skill is suitable for the nominated occupation; and meet the English language requirements, and to be less than 50 years old at the time of the SkillSelect invitation issuance.

The main difference with these visas is location and time of obtaining permanent residency. Holders of Subclass 190 State Sponsorship visa can live and work in any part of the state in Australia where they need your skills. With the 489 Regional visas, one needs to live and work in the designated post codes in the Region where your skills are in highest demand.

To obtain Permanent Residence, the holder of the State Sponsor visa receives Permanent Residence as soon as they enter Australia. They just need to live and work in that state for 2 years time. For Regional Sponsorship, you agree to live and work in that region for a minimum of 2 years and are then able to apply for Permanent Residency under the 887 visa.

The General Work Permit is not for “general” work at all. You need a job offer from a registered company in a niche position that you qualify for.  You will need to show that you possess the qualifications for the position and the company needs to show that they attempted to hire an SA Citizen first and could not fill the position. 5 years on a General Work Permit makes you eligible to apply for Permanent Residency.

Similar is the Corporate Work Permit but it is the Employer who holds this permit and can hire MANY foreign workers and put them on this permit.  If one holds the Corporate Permit for 5 years and the company offers a permanent position, then one can apply for Permanent Residency.

Quota Work Permits require 5 years of relevant work experience in your field and you must be on the current Quota Skills Shortage list. If you receive a permanent job offer from the company, you can apply for Permanent Residency immediately. Once awarded this visa, you are given 90 days to find work.

Exceptional Skills Permits require you to have publications in your name within your field of study. You can apply for Permanent Residency if you qualify for this permit and you can change jobs on the same permit.

Intra Company Work Permits require a company branch overseas and a branch in South Africa. These are more short term for 2 years and cannot be renewed one after the other.  These will not lead to Permanent Residency.

Contact New World Immigration so we can put you on the right path to finding the suitable work permit for you or your potential employees.  There are other ways to obtain working rights if you hold a Spousal or Life Partner visa. Give us a ring and we will walk you through the process.

Sarah Farthing
SA Work Permit Specialist

(021) 555 0951 or sarah(a)nwisouthafrica.co.za

President Jacob Zuma offered his congratulations to the new Venezuelan President, Mr, Nicolas Maduro this Monday.  Zuma is focused on strengthening ties between the two countries. What does this mean for each country? Venezuela is interested in joining up with South Africa to participate in the BRICS summit. This is the group of upcoming countries Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa that look for ways to grow business ties among the countries. If Venezuela could be involved, they would look primarily at the mining industry, technology, and cultural relations. This would bring more jobs to South Africa and be beneficial to both parties. In the past South Africa and Venezuela have worked together in the Petroleum belt of the Orinoco River. Their focus was on upstream oil, energy, and gas.

Back in 2008, the South African president at the time Thabo Mbeki stated that relations with Venezuela had   "taken on a strategic character ... The relationship is real, actual and practical. We spoke of a strategic partnership, which means we will learn from each other."

It is hopeful to see that President Zuma is taking on a similar role to strengthen the relationship. If you are considering coming to South Africa to start a business or work as a skilled worker here, you should have confidence in this country that is trying to do the right thing and have more opportunities available by reaching out to countries with new representation like Venezuela.