WHAT IS A GENERAL WORK VISA?

A General Work Visa can be issued if there has been a firm offer of employment by a prospective employer to a foreigner after the employer has unsuccessfull attempted to secure a South African or pemanent resident for that position. The General Work Visa can be granted for up to 5 years to foreign applicants wanting to work in South Africa.

IMPORTANT RULES FOR A GENERAL WORK VISA

The following considerations and rules are very important to bear in mind when applying for a General Work Visa:

The regulations have been specifically crafted to ensure that employment opportunities are firstly available to South Africans before they can be offered to overseas applicants. Accordingly the requirements for a General Work Visa can be quite onerous and the visa is not easy to obtain. With specific regard hereto the employer will have to show that despite their best attempts they were not able to find a South African to fill the position. In order to show this they will have to advertise the position in a local newspaper, and show that despite this they were unable to find a local candidate.
The Department of Labour will also be involved in the process to ensure that all necessary steps were taken to find a local South African candidate. They shall further conduct an on-site inspection of the work premises to ensure that the employer is complying with all South African labour laws.
The onerous requirements for a General Work Visa have led to the processing time for an application to now be in the region of 2 – 3 months.

ARE FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS NEEDED?

It’s mostly likely that the Department of Home Affairs will insist upon seeing legitimate qualifications documented along with an approved SAQA certificate, so having the proper qualifications pertaining to the job position you’re applying for is important. Home Affairs will then assess your qualifications to find out whether they are comparable to South African standards.
In some cases, there may be positions that do not require relevant qualifications. These jobs may require more experience in a particular field of work. In such cases the Department of Home Affairs will assess the candidate based on his or her experience within a certain trade.