With recent allegations against a  local immigration consulting company taking money for services that their clients did not qualify for, we here at New World Immigration feel that it is necessary  to separate ourselves and set the record straight. Helpful, customer service oriented, and most of all ethical Immigration companies are out there. We are one of them.

This makes a good example of how companies need to realize that to run a successful business today it is no longer just based on quietly selling your product, telling no lies, selling a product that people want, and bringing in money. Today’s companies need to be socially aware. They need to be socially responsible. What is this? Striving for long lasting relationships with employees and customers, standing by your ideals, and being accountable as a company is a good place to start. Companies will alienate their customers if they show no interest in social awareness. It’s no longer an option to do nothing. And it is definitely not an option to try to deceive clients. Consumers today are very in tune to the product they wish to buy and have done their research.

Obtaining visas for foreigners coming to South Africa and assisting with Australia Migration is our focus. Neither of these are an easy task. Clients come to us often with information overload and are very confused as to how to begin the process. We are here to first listen and then to explain their best options. We focus on training so our consultants know what questions to ask and can then ascertain what our clients will qualify for. We turn away clients everyday who do not meet the requirements and it can be frustrating to not be able to help them. But at least they have an honest answer and can move on to other possible options.

Shelley Faull has worked in the Australia Immigration industry for ( ) years and now assists clients with their Australia visa applications. I asked her what her clients mean to her. “They’re families. I have a huge interest in their circumstances and they are very important to me. They are making life changing decisions and it is not easy. The Immigration process can be daunting. I want to help every step of the way. Clients are not a number to me. They are people with goals and dreams."

The owner of New World Immigration, Robbie Ragless, set out to form a new type of Immigration Consultancy. “I have been in the industry for around 10 years, worked for a number of immigration consultants in the past and carefully monitored the ups and downs they experienced.  Over the years I formulated a plan to create my own company that took absolutely everything into consideration. The treatment of our clients is of paramount importance. Our marketing strategy is extremely simple. We service one client well and that client tells 5 people about the experience. We are extremely proud with the work we produce and the rate of approved applications we maintain"

The aim is to be passionate in what we do and put the clients first at the end of the day. We are dedicated to hard work and take pride in our 100% success rate. On the walls of our office it says ASPIRE. A is for Accountability, S if for Service Excellence, P is for Passion, I is for Integrity, R is for Respect, and E is for Excellence.  Working hard and knowing your clients by their first name really does make a huge difference.  Building that trust and remaining transparent goes a long way.


I asked my colleagues to share their views about the relationship they have with their clients for Australia.  “I would say that we work together for a long period. They become an extended family. It’s great to be able to assist with changing their lives. I’m happy to help with the process of obtaining their visa, but sad to see them go. When I hear about families getting the run around, it saddens me to think that their hopes and dreams are being dashed. It’s unfair. I like to sleep at night.”

If you are a foreigner and intend to have medical treatment in South Africa, you will need a medical treatment permit.  These are issued for a maximum period of six months at a time and can be renewed.  You can enter SA with this permit or if you are already here on a different visa, you can change your status to this if you require medical treatment. You will need a letter from your medical practitioner stating the reason and details of your treatment needed.  You will also need to show details regarding the person or institution responsible for medical expenses and fees.  It is important that you have sufficient funds available to cover costs or hold medical coverage.  You will need to provide documentation showing proof of funds.  

South Africa is equipped with modern health care facilities that treat practically all current diseases and injuries. South African health care facilities are unsurpassed on the African continent. Also, the exchange rate of the South African rand may make South Africa a cheaper destination than your local hospital. If you are considering coming to South Africa to receive medical treatment, you can contact us at New World Immigration to assist with this permit.

sarah@nwisouthafrica.co.za

Workers with a company with an overseas branch and a branch in South Africa might be able come over to South Africa on an Intra Company Work Permit. It can even be through a subsidiary or affiliate of the main company.  The period for which this permit is given is for 2 years.  It will require a Letter from the company abroad confirming that the applicant will be transferred to the branch of that company or an affiliated company situated in South Africa. This permit is nice in that it allows for workers to be sent through from branch to branch without the hassle of the general work permit.

This permit does not lead to Permanent Residency and is not renewable. The same worker can apply for this permit more than once though.  There is a fee for us to assist with this permit and a government fee. The Company will need to specify the occupation and capacity of work that the worker will be doing and specify that it won’t be longer than 2 years. If you need to bring workers in and think your company will qualify for this, feel free to contact us and we will assist.

sarah@nwisouthafrica.co.za

You might be confused as to whether or not you have working rights once you have a Life Partner or Spousal Visa. Both of these fall under the Relatives Temporary Permit category, but you can still add working rights. It doesn’t come automatically though. You first must have a job offer from a company. You need a work contract or a letter of motivation stating that the company wishes to hire you upon the outcome of you getting working rights added to you visa.

Once you have the job offer, you can contact us and we will provide you with a short, but new list of documents to fill out and we will lodge an entirely new application to revise the current spousal or life partner visa with the work endorsement. This requires your passport again and a small fee and the final result will show a 3 year visit visa that states on the bottom of the form “right to reside with SA spouse or life Partner and work at so and so company.” The reason it comes back as a visit visa is that Home Affairs doesn’t allow relatives category permits to have working rights.

If you change jobs, you need to undergo the process again as the working rights follow the job. If you need assistance or are not sure if you qualify to add working rights to your visa, give us a shout at New World Immigration.

sarah@nwisouthafrica.co.za

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.

The Quota Work Permit is approved for a pre-determined numbers of foreign workers who have the required qualifications and at least 5 years of experience in a specific position. In applying for this permit, the prospective employer in South Africa is under no obligation to advertise the vacancy and the skilled worker does not need a job offer to obtain this permit. The first step is checking the current list to see if your profession is scarce. See www.nwisouthafrica.co.za .

If you are on the list and have at least 5 years of experience, then you can apply. These are typically valid for 5 years and are renewable. If offered a permanent position while on this permit, one may apply for Permanent Residency.  A Quota work permit has an indefinite duration as it remains valid as long as the person stays employed within the same category or profession it was applied and approved for. Within 90 days of admission, the holder of a quota work permit shall submit to the Department of Home Affairs confirmation of having secured employment within the category or class contemplated and, within every 12 months thereafter, confirmation of continued employment within that category or class. The holder of a quota work permit may change employer provided he or she remains employed in the same occupational category. If you hold these skills and would love to live and work in sunny South Africa, contact us.

sarah@nwisouthafrica.co.za

South Africa once only had instant, chicory, or moer-koffie (I call it French Press).  But now from city to city, South Africa is fast becoming known for their speciality coffee.  Especially in the past 8 years or so, South Africa is focusing on perfecting the brew and perfecting their latte art.

But it’s not just the cafe coffee culture that is showing growth, it is in the roasters and coffee farmers here. There are over 150 roasters in the country.  Some roasters are using advanced technology such as solar systems to heat up the beams. The flavour must be there, but how the coffee is roasted is now taken into consideration.

The world of fine coffee is closely aligned with that of the exacting wine maker or accomplished chef. It is subjective in nature; a question of taste. Roasters and brewers are tastemakers.  And what better place to grow coffee than in South Africa.   Coffee is being produced on some beautiful estates (Beaver Creek), notably in KwaZulu Natal and Mpumalanga (although on a much smaller scale than before).  They even have the naturally caffeine-free species, Coffea Racemosa, found in the coastal forests of Zululand.  The wine culture here has a tourism culture all of its own. Maybe in the future, we will see visitors checking out more and more coffee estates to taste the perfect cup of coffee.

As the world slowly and cautiously continues to come out of the recent global recession, so the sales of coffee, both locally and overseas, are continuing on an upward trend.  World coffee exports amounted to 9.21 million bags in November 2012, compared with 7.88 million in November 2011. Reported by the World Coffee Organization. “Certainly in South Africa, consumers are increasingly prepared to try out new and more sophisticated options. “ That’s according to Chris Brown, Director at The Daily Buzz, a local chain of upmarket workplace coffee bars.

New World Immigration can help you to apply for a visit visa for South Africa from the nearest South African Consulate to you in your home country or wherever you are located abroad. Check online and make sure you require a visit visa as many countries are visa exempt. There is a list on the Home Affairs website http://www.home-affairs.gov.za/index.php/countries-exempt-from-sa-visas and you will either receive 30 or 90 days upon entry. If you are not on the list, we can help you with all the requirements.

The main things you will need are your flight details, proof of funds to support your living expenses while visiting, valid passport, and all forms filled out correctly. We can assist with the whole application process and obtain your visit visas for yourself or family overseas. Visitors are allowed one extension unless stated otherwise on the bottom of the visa. Extensions of 30 to 90 days are available. We can assist with those as well. Contact sarah@nwisouthafrica.co.za .

For expats immigrating to South Africa, the South African health infrastructure is generally of very high quality, especially in large cities. Hospitals and clinics have highly trained, experienced staff. South Africa has excellent clinics for heart disease and eye conditions, attracting a respectable number of medical tourists every year. 

Pharmacies are well stocked with anything you might be familiar with from your home country. However, if you regularly take prescription medication, you should be aware of the fact that some pharmaceuticals can be very expensive.

There is no National Health Care plan in SA. You need to do research on insurance plans available and find out what health plans will be available through your future employer.  Full medical aid is quite pricey, but  you can get different types of plans. Several plans offer points and rewards for healthy lifestyle choices. You can track your online points and save a lot of money. The need for flexible plans within the expat community is growing and this demand in itself creates a  very powerful machine. The demand also comes from the companies, who want to ensure that their expatriate workers, in whom they have heavily invested, are as productive as possible and that, should they fall ill, things can be sorted out quickly and efficiently.

So overall, for expats coming to South Africa, the healthcare options and health plans are going to be catering more and more to your needs and demands. 

South Africa is a nation of extremes.  You have the beauty of the land, the sea, and you have the beauty of the diverse people who live here. Along with that comes a need for wildlife conservation, a need for helping with healthcare, and a need for helping with disadvantaged communities. There is a  huge need for volunteers in this country. You can help children in literacy programs,  all youth development programs would love to have you,  medical organizations need you, nature conservancy organizations need you, and many more.   Everyone can bring something to the table. The first step is determining what type of volunteer work you wish to do. Contact the organizations directly and check out their website. Ask a lot of questions. One major step in the process will be the requirement for a volunteer visa.

You must be 18 years of age. Visa requirements are always changing.  Determine how long you wish to volunteer for in South Africa. You need a letter from the organization confirming you are accepted into the volunteer organization. You will need to show a return air ticket and proof of financial means to support yourself while in the country. Volunteer permits can be issued for up to 4 years. They are renewable.