The Department of Home Affairs has recently gazetted a new Critical Skills List which now includes a revised list of languages for Foreign Language Speakers with specialist language skills.
Tax Consulting South Africa and Xpatweb, South Africa’s largest tax and international mobility practice respectively, returned this week from the Netherlands after hosting tax and immigration planning sessions with recently emigrated South Africans.
The new Critical Skills List that was gazetted in February 2022 and subsequently the Directive that was issued in the same month, comes with an array of changes which can be daunting for those looking to either apply for or renew their Critical Skills Work Visa.
It is common knowledge that South Africa has a high unemployment rate and a shortage of suitably qualified/skilled persons. However, South Africa continues to be the destination which expatriates, multi-nationals and investors see as the land of hope, growth, and new beginnings.
The Critical Skills List has been used to determine whether an applicant is eligible for a Critical Skills Work Visa, this has been a steadfast requirement for some time. However, with the release of the new Critical Skills List as of 2nd February 2022, the Department of Home Affairs will now dictate the eligibility for a Critical Skills Work Visa according to levels prescribed by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
