The Critical Skills Work Visa allows candidates who have received a job offer from a South African employer for a position listed on the Critical Skills List to work in South Africa for up to five (5) years.

The latest Critical Skills List was gazetted on 3 October 2023 (Government Gazette 49402 of 3 October 2023). https://www.dha.gov.za/images/PDFs/CritcalSkills_102023.pdf

The processing time is dependent on the country of submission. On average the processing time for a Critical Skills Work Visa, once submitted, is 8-12 weeks.

To qualify, applicants must ensure that their occupation is listed on the Critical Skills List, meet the minimum qualification and experience requirements for the specific occupation, be registered with the relevant professional body, and provide proof of evaluation for any foreign qualifications by SAQA if applicable.

The visa can issued for a period of up to five years. This is dependent on the duration of the fixed term contract of employment and the validity of the applicant’s passport.

Immediate family members may apply for various visa categories to accompany an applicant on a Critical Skills Work Visa. It is important to note that children under the age of 18 years may apply for a Study Visa.

One of the benefits of holding a Critical Skills Work Visa is that applicants are able to study on part-time basis while being employed full time.