South Africa Working Visas
South Africa seeks highly skilled individuals to live and work in SA.
SA Migration Services will provide professional assistance to arrange your work visa for you if you qualify.
Work Visas are regulated in terms of Section 19, Regulation 18 and items 18 (1), 19(2), 20, 21 and 22, of Schedule A.
There are three common types of Work Visas:
South African Citizen by Descent:
Anybody who was born outside of South Africa to a South African citizen. His or her birth has to be registered in line with the births and deaths registration act 51 of 1992.
South African Citizen by Naturalisation:
Permanent Resident holders of 5 or more years can apply for citizenship. Anybody married to a South African citizen qualifies for naturalisation, two years after receiving his or her permanent residence at the time of marriage.
A child under 21 who has permanent residence Visa qualifies for naturalization immediately after the Visa is issued.
Automatic loss of Citizenship.
This occurs when a South African citizen:
Obtains citizenship of another country by a voluntary and formal act, other than marriage, or;
Serves in the armed forces of another country, where he or she is also a citizen, while is at war with South Africa.
Deprivation of Citizenship:
A South African citizen by naturalization can be deprived of his citizenship if;
The certificate of naturalisation was obtained fraudulently or false information was supplied.
He or she holds the citizenship of another country and has, at any time, been sentenced to 12 months imprisonment in any country for an offence that also would have been an offence in South Africa.
South African Citizen by Descent:
Anybody who was born outside of South Africa to a South African citizen. His or her birth has to be registered in line with the births and deaths registration act 51 of 1992.
South African Citizen by Naturalisation:
Permanent Resident holders of 5 or more years can apply for citizenship. Anybody married to a South African citizen qualifies for naturalisation, two years after receiving his or her permanent residence at the time of marriage.
A child under 21 who has permanent residence Visa qualifies for naturalization immediately after the Visa is issued.
Automatic loss of Citizenship.
This occurs when a South African citizen:
Obtains citizenship of another country by a voluntary and formal act, other than marriage, or;
Serves in the armed forces of another country, where he or she is also a citizen, while is at war with South Africa.
Deprivation of Citizenship:
A South African citizen by naturalization can be deprived of his citizenship if;
The certificate of naturalisation was obtained fraudulently or false information was supplied.
He or she holds the citizenship of another country and has, at any time, been sentenced to 12 months imprisonment in any country for an offence that also would have been an offence in South Africa.
Citizenship Options
International travellers onboard late-night flights into South Africa will be permitted to move from the airport to their places of accommodation during the 21:00 to 06:00 curfew, government says. Visitors have, however, been urged to carry proof of their travels to avoid fine or imprisonment if stopped by police.
On Tuesday, South Africa entered an adjusted form of Level 3 lockdown. New regulations banning the sale of alcohol and social gatherings coincide with an extended curfew intended to limit movement after dark. This extension has already disrupted local flights, with airlines scrambling to adjust their schedules and revise bookings.
Between 21:00 and 06:00, only those with valid work permits will be allowed to travel to and from their homes. This reprieve is extended to persons seeking urgent medical attention.
But during a press briefing on Tuesday, minister of justice and correctional services Ronald Lamola, and the minister of co-operative governance and traditional affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, agreed that international travellers get a pass on that rule.
“International travellers who arrive during the period of the curfew will still be allowed to reach their destination,” said Lamola.
Although South African travellers have been barred from entering several nations following the discovery of a more infectious Covid-19 variant, known as 501.V2, the country’s airspace remains largely unaffected by the recent move to adjusted Level 3 lockdown. International flights into OR Tambo, King Shaka, and Cape Town International airports remain operational, albeit in a fashion subdued compared to the usual December rush.
“If they [international travellers] can show that they were travelling, with the stamp on their ticket or passport… the police will leave them alone,” said Dlamini-Zuma.
The NCCC did not, however clarify whether this offer would be extended to persons departing from South Africa or to local airlines.
Violating the curfew, without a valid reason, can lead to arrest and prosecution. Offenders may be subjected to a prison term, not exceeding six months, a fine, or both.