November 2024

Another D-day looms this week for countless holders of a Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) who are uncertain about their stay in South Africa.

Zimbabwean nationals who have not already applied for a waiver to progress from a ZEP to a General Work visa in South Africa, only have until Friday (29 November 2024) to apply for a new one-year exemption permit valid until 29 November 2025. The extension will ensure Zimbabwean permit holders remain legally within South Africa.

Uncertainty still looms about whether the concession for foreign nationals will be extended beyond 31 December 2024 to safeguard them from being erroneously declared undesirable while they await their visa application outcomes, but the good news is those affected can still travel abroad to visit loved ones this Festive Season and re-enter South Africa legally in the new year.

This will require some planning ahead for multinationals and corporates to ensure their foreign national employees and their families can have peace of mind when traveling abroad while their visa applications are pending, says Marisa Jacobs, Managing Director at Xpatweb, South Africa’s premium work permit and immigration service provider.

Engineers and ICT professionals are the most in-demand skills that large corporates and multinational employers struggle to recruit for smooth business operations in South Africa, the latest Critical Skills Survey Report by Xpatweb shows.

Government departments responsible for updating the national Critical Skills List to attract highly skilled foreign professionals to South Africa, is working closely with business and the private sector to ensure an even further refined list which adequately reflects the country’s employment needs.

With the highly anticipated implementation of a fair and transparent Points-Based System for work visas, South Africa follows in the footsteps of countries like Canada and Australia and positions itself as a serious contender in attracting global skills necessary for stronger economic growth.