South Africa's critical skills list includes a long list of engineering jobs. Photo: Getty Images
- Government has compiled a new proposed list of critical skills, which should make it easier for some overseas workers to get visas to work and live in South Africa.
- The list was last updated in 2014.
- New additions include jobs like general accountant, investment manager, digital artist, and chef.
On Thursday, South Africa finally released a proposed new list of critical skills that can make it easier for foreigners in certain jobs to work here.
Those who meet the requirements on the list can get easier access to a visa to work and live in South Africa.
The existing critical skills list was last updated in 2014, and the new list was gazetted for comment on Thursday.
The new document includes much of the long existing list of technology-focussed, as well as engineering, financial and medical critical skills.
New additions include university lecturer, general accountant, company secretary, management accountant and investment manager, fraud examiner, digital artist, chef, and carpenter.
But some of the jobs that were on the 2014 critical list were scrapped, including corporate general manager, millwright and pipefitter.
Some jobs require honours degrees for professionals to qualify for special immigration treatment but only one job – that of university lecturer – requires a master's degree.
Here is South Africa's new list of jobs that require critical skills:
Policy and planning manager (Membership in the Institute of Directors in South Africa “will be preferable”)
Sales and marketing manager
Research and development manager
Agricultural farm manager
Manufacturer
Manufacturing operations manager
Engineering manager (requires registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa)
Construction project manager (requires registration with the South African Council for Project and Construction Management Professions)
Airport or harbour manager
Chief information officer
ICT project manager (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
Data management manager (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
Application development manager (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
Information technology manager (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable)
Information systems director (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable)
FET college principal (Requires registration with the South African Council for Educators)
Call or contact centre manager (Membership in the Contact Centre Management Group will be preferable)
Caravan park and camping ground manager
Dockmaster
Travel accommodation inspector
Travel agency manager (Membership in the Association of Southern African Travel Agents will be preferable)
Geologist (Requires registration with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions)
Geophysicist (Requires registration with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions)
Materials scientist (Requires registration with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions)
Mineralogist (Requires registration with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions)
Hydrologist (Requires registration with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions)
Oceanographer (Requires registration with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions)
Actuary (Requires registration with the Actuarial Society of South Africa)
Food and beverage scientist
Industrial engineer (Requires registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa)
Industrial engineering technologist (Requires registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa)
Civil engineer (Requires registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa)
Civil engineering technologist (Requires registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa)
Mechanical engineer (Requires registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa)
Mechanical engineering technologist (Requires registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa)
Aeronautical engineer (Requires registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa)
Aeronautical engineering technologist (Requires registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa)
Naval architect
Quantity surveyor (Requires registration with the South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession)
Agricultural engineer
Agricultural engineering technologist
Architect (Requires registration)
Digital artist
Multimedia designer
Web designer
General medical practitioner (Requires registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa)
Registered nurse (child and family health) (Requires registration with the South African Nursing Council)
Registered nurse (community health) (Requires registration with the South African Nursing Council)
Registered nurse (medical) (Requires registration with the South African Nursing Council)
Registered nurse (medical practice) (Requires registration with the South African Nursing Council)
Registered nurse (mental health) (Requires registration with the South African Nursing Council)
Nurse educator (Requires registration with the South African Nursing Council)
Hospital pharmacist (Requires registration with the South African Pharmacy Council)
Industrial pharmacist (Requires registration with the South African Pharmacy Council)
Retail pharmacist (Requires registration with the South African Pharmacy Council)
University lecturer (Requires at least a master's degree)
General accountant (“There are a number of professional bodies dealing with accounting; the person needs to register with one of those many bodies”)
Management accountant (Requires registration with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants)
Tax professional (Requires registration with the South African Institute of Tax Practitioners)
External auditor (Requires registration with the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors)
Accountant in practice (“There are a number of professional bodies dealing with accounting; the person needs to register with one of those many bodies”)
Financial accountant (Requires registration with the Institute of Accounting and Commerce)
Forensic accountant (“There are a number of professional bodies dealing with accounting; the person needs to register with one of those many bodies”)
Investment analyst (Membership in the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa “will be preferable”)
Investment manager (Membership in the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa “will be preferable”)
Investment advisor (Membership in the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa “will be preferable”)
Financial investment advisor (Membership in the Financial Planning Institute of Southern Africa “will be preferable”)
Management consultant (Membership in the Institute of Management Consultants and Master Coaches of South Africa “will be preferable”)
Organisation and methods analyst
Business development officer
Policy analyst
Company secretary (Membership of a relevant body “will be preferable”)
Organisational risk manager
Accounting officer (“There are a number of professional bodies dealing with accounting; the person needs to register with one of those many bodies”)
Business administrator (Membership in the Institute of Management Consultants and Master Coaches of South Africa “will be preferable”)
Internal auditor (Requires registration with the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors)
Regulatory affairs officer
Intellectual property special advisor
Fraud examiner (Membership in the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners South Africa “will be preferable”)
Advertising specialist (Membership in the Marketing Association of South Africa” will be preferable”)
Market research analyst (Membership in the Southern African Marketing Research Association “will be preferable”)
Marketing practitioner (Membership in the Marketing Association of South Africa “will be preferable”)
Market campaign analyst (Membership in the Marketing Association of South Africa “will be preferable”)
Communication coordinator (Membership in the Marketing Association of South Africa “will be preferable”)
Communication strategist (Membership in the Marketing Association of South Africa “will be preferable”)
Corporate communication manager
ICT systems analyst (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
Data scientist (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
Software developer (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
Programmer analyst (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
Developer programmer (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
Multimedia specialist (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
Web developer (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
Applications programmer (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
Computers quality assurance analyst (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
Database designer and administrator (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
Network analyst (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
ICT security specialist (Membership in the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa “will be preferable”)
Information services manager (Requires registration with the Professional Librarian Library Association of South Africa)
Mechanical engineering technician
Pressure equipment inspector
Aeronautical engineering technician (Requires registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa)
Draughts-person (Requires registration with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession)
Production/operations supervisor (manufacturing)
Statistical and Mathematical Assistant
Property manager
Chef (Requires registration with the South African Chefs Association)
ICT communications assistant
Computer network technician
Marine GIS technician
Contact centre resource planner
Contact centre forecast analyst
Carpenter and joiner
Carpenter
Joiner
Metal machinist
Fitter and turner
Industrial machinery mechanic
Diesel mechanic
Mechatronics technician
Lift mechanic
Weapon systems mechanic
Electrical equipment mechanic
Armature winder
Transportation electrician
Quality controller (manufacturing)
* Several of the listed jobs require registration beyond that detailed here, but the exact requirements were not included in the draft list.
Here are full details of requirements, including the minimum educational qualifications needed for each job: