Author name: xp-admin

Living in Portugal is the dream for many South Africans, and those wishing to make this dream a reality often opted to apply for a golden visa. According to Henley & Partners, a leading global investment migration firm, a golden visa grants approved applicants’ full residence rights in exchange for a defined economic contribution to the country. To many high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) in South Africa, this permit offers a golden ticket into Europe.

The national Critical Skills List is a gazetted publication listing all skills that the South African government deems necessary to stimulate economic growth, but which cannot be sourced within the country.

The list was previously updated in 2014 and again, only recently, in February and August 2022.

On April 11, 2023, the Department of Home Affairs issued a new directive that waives the requirements for a radiological report, as well as certain requirements to obtain police clearance certificates.

The Budget 2023/24 last week contained one very frank, but also deeply worrying, acknowledgement on how frustrated government and foreign investors have become with the South African Home Affairs.

Will President Ramaphosa’s SONA announcement on reforms to attract foreign talent really benefit South African critical skills employers?

“We certainly welcome these initiatives as a win for organisations that are desperate to acquire scarce skills that are not available locally,” says Marisa Jacobs, Managing Director at Xpatweb.