Cape Town, South Africa – October 9, 2024
The South African Department of Home Affairs has officially launched a new remote work visitor visa aimed at attracting highly paid individuals employed abroad to work in the country. This initiative is part of a broader reform aimed at overhauling the visa system to boost skills, investment, and the tourism sector.
The introduction of the remote work visa allows affluent foreign workers to live and work in South Africa, thereby encouraging them to spend their earnings in the local economy. Minister Leon Schreiber announced the visa alongside a new points-based system for adjudicating work visa applications, designed to enhance transparency and curb corruption within the immigration process.
“The points-based system is intended to create a clear and transparent process for determining visa eligibility,” Schreiber stated. “It aligns with the president’s call to reform our immigration policies to attract the necessary skills and investment needed to stimulate growth and create jobs.”
Under the new regulations, applications submitted outside of the trusted employer scheme will require applicants to demonstrate a gross annual income exceeding R650,796. This threshold aims to safeguard local employment opportunities for South Africans, particularly at the lower end of the job market.
Schreiber emphasized that the meticulous design of these reforms is crucial for repositioning South Africa as a premier destination for investment and tourism, potentially creating thousands of new jobs for locals.
While the shift to digital application submissions is underway, all work visa applications will initially need to be submitted through recognized agencies and South African missions abroad, assessed according to the new points-based criteria.
These reforms are expected to significantly enhance South Africa’s appeal to global talent and investment, ultimately benefiting the national economy.