Five-year South African work permits mooted

November 13 2009 by Liam Clifford

Changes to take place on the South African work permit system.

South African Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has annnounced that the South African immigration department is working to change the work permit system for the country.

In order to make South Africa an even more welcoming place for people who may want to live and work in South Africa, the government is planning to extend South African work permits to five years in a move that is also intended to boost the economy.

Dlamini-Zuma explained,“what we think we should have is a policy that is really welcoming ... the paradigm must shift from us wanting to keep everybody out."

Currently, immigrants with ‘scarce skills’ are permitted to live in South Africa for a year by South African immigration control before they need to renew their visa. Under the new system they would be permitted to remain in South Africa for five years before having to renew.

"If there is a scarce skill that is being recruited we should be able to give them a five-year permit to work so there is stability in their lives,” said the minister.

She added that the extended scheme was in order to create a “conducive environment for foreign investment in the economy and the attraction of scarce skills".

See the latest Immigration News