South Africa has a new critical skills list: 2 February 2022

The South African authorities gazetted a brand-new crucial expertise record on 2 February 2022. In our opinion, the brand new record is a large enchancment on the 2014 record.

Essentially the most important variations between the 2022 and 2014 crucial expertise lists

Our group sat down with the brand new crucial expertise record as quickly because it was launched to match it to the previous record. This train highlighted 12 main variations between the 2 lists:

1. Clearer occupational definitions

Occupations are actually clearly outlined and stipulate a minimal degree of training (NQF degree). In some circumstances, the place it’s related, the crucial expertise record additionally stipulates an expert physique.

2. Extra senior managerial occupations on the brand new record

The brand new crucial expertise record contains extra senior managerial positions than the previous crucial expertise record.

In our opinion, this was an excellent determination as a result of it’ll encourage overseas funding.

These are the positions which were added:

• Director (Enterprise/Organisation) (Medium Enterprises or Bigger)
• Coverage and Planning Supervisor
• Programme or Mission Supervisor
• Engineering Supervisor
• Provide and Distribution Supervisor
• Chief Data Officer
• Knowledge Administration Supervisor

3. Life and Earth Science shouldn’t be as restricted as earlier than

Life and Earth Science occupations are rather more basic and are subsequently not as restricted as was the case with the 2014 crucial expertise record:

• Physicist
• Local weather Change Scientist
• Chemist
• Geologist
• Geophysicist
• Supplies Scientist
• Mineralogist
• Hydrologist
• Oceanographer
• Actuary
• Basic Biologist
• Biotechnologist
• Microbiologist
• Zoologist
• Agricultural Scientist
• Meals or Beverage Scientist
• Conservation Scientist
• Environmental Scientist

4. Just one medical occupation on the brand new record

All medical occupations have been eliminated, however Nurse Educator has been included.

5. College lecturers and STEM college lecturers have been added

The brand new crucial expertise record contains College lecturers and much-needed STEM (Science, Know-how, Engineering, and Math) college lecturers:

• College Lecturer – Senior Lecturer and above for less than these CESM classes listed in Annexure 2 (this Annexure has not been launched but)
• FET Section College Instructor (Grades 10 – 12) – Just for STEM topics
• Senior Section College Instructor (Grades 8 – 9) – Just for STEM topics

6. New finance, tax, and funding occupations

The brand new crucial expertise record contains a number of finance, tax, and funding occupations:

• Tax Skilled
• Forensic Accountant
• Funding Analyst
• Funding Supervisor

7. Extra company positions on the brand new record

The brand new record contains extra company positions than the previous crucial expertise record. For instance:

• Coverage Analyst
• Company Treasurer
• Organisational Danger Supervisor

8. The IT part has modified considerably

IT occupations have modified significantly, however, in our opinion, for the higher.

Occupation titles are rather more related and relevant to what’s obtainable within the job market than titles on the 2014 record.

Some IT occupations which are new to the crucial expertise record are the next:

• Multimedia Specialist
• Functions Supervisor
• Knowledge Scientist

9. No extra Teachers and Analysis part

The brand new crucial expertise record doesn’t embody any of the Teachers and Analysis occupations that appeared on the 2014 record.

As an alternative, you’ll now discover these particular analysis fields below the brand new, broader Life and Earth Science occupations.

10. Fewer occupations below Professionals and Affiliate Professionals

Dwelling Affairs eliminated a lot of the occupations listed below Professionals and Affiliate Professionals on the 2014 crucial expertise record.

11. No extra sheep shearers

Sheep shearers are not on the crucial expertise record.

12. Just one commerce occupation on the brand new crucial expertise record

The one commerce occupation on the brand new crucial talent record is Millwright. Dwelling Affairs has eliminated all different commerce occupations from the crucial expertise record. 

13. A Ph.D. not qualifies you for a crucial expertise work visa

Sadly, a Ph.D. acquired regionally or overseas is not included within the crucial expertise record, and not makes you eligible to use for a crucial expertise work visa.

There are additionally some similarities between the 2022 and 2014 crucial expertise lists

Engineers will probably be happy to know that engineering occupations stay on the crucial expertise record. Dwelling Affairs has additionally added some new ones:

• Biomedical Engineer
• Engineering Supervisor

Contact centre occupations additionally stay on the crucial expertise record.

“We are able to advise extra confidently, and we’ll absolutely see fewer nonsensical rejections”

When requested her opinion in regards to the new crucial expertise record, Intergate Immigration Director Lynne had the next to say:

The brand new record is way, significantly better than the earlier record.

For starters, the occupations are broader, which suggests the record is shorter, making it simpler to find out who’s eligible for a crucial expertise work visa and who isn’t.    

On the identical time, the brand new crucial expertise record assigns a particular NQF degree to every occupation, and every place is outlined, which suggests the 2022 record shouldn’t be as open to interpretation because the 2014 record. The 2014 record lacked occupation definitions. 

These modifications will allow us to advise our shoppers extra confidently, and we’ll absolutely see fewer nonsensical rejections.

Most significantly, the brand new crucial expertise record contains occupations in brief provide in South Africa and occupations that employers are recruiting for. The 2014 record was irrelevant in lots of areas.

It’s not simply the crucial expertise record that has modified

Other than updating the crucial expertise record, Dwelling Affairs has additionally made two different main modifications to the crucial expertise space:

No extra ‘job seeker’ visa

The most important plus in regards to the crucial expertise work visa has all the time been that you simply don’t want a job provide on the time of making use of for it.

As an alternative, you acquired a ‘job seeker’ visa in case your utility was profitable. This visa gave you 12 months to safe a job provide. When you had one, you finalised your crucial expertise work visa.

Sadly, Dwelling Affairs launched a directive shortly after the brand new crucial expertise stipulating that it’ll not concern a 12-month ‘job seeker’ visa.

Which means it’s a must to have a job provide to use for a crucial expertise work visa primarily based on the 2022 crucial expertise record.

First the job, then the work visa utility.

No extra PR for graduates in crucial expertise areas straight after graduating

Dwelling Affairs used to grant graduates who studied in crucial expertise areas everlasting residency after graduating from a South African tertiary establishment.

Nevertheless, Dwelling Affairs has revoked the Ministerial Waiver, launched in 2016, that made this attainable.

Going ahead, college students graduating in crucial expertise areas should comply with the standard visa utility course of in the event that they want to work and dwell in South Africa after their commencement.

How will Dwelling Affairs implement the brand new crucial expertise record?

Dwelling Affairs has stipulated the next transitional preparations:

• Any crucial expertise work visa issued when it comes to the 2014 record for a decided interval shall proceed to be in pressure and impact in accordance with the phrases and circumstances below which it was issued, however could solely be renewed when it comes to the 2022 record supplied that:
  • The applicant meets the prescribed necessities of the 2022 record
  • Functions already submitted to Dwelling Affairs previous to 31 January 2022 shall be processed when it comes to the 2014 record together with any appeals arising out of such purposes
  • No new purposes when it comes to the 2014 record shall be accepted with impact from 1 February 2022 aside from these candidates who had already secured an appointment with the Visa Software Centre (VFS) or South African Excessive Fee previous to 1 February 2022
  • The holder of a sound crucial expertise work visa issued when it comes to the 2014 record could apply for everlasting residence from the date upon which she or he qualifies to use

Need to know in case your occupation is on the brand new crucial expertise record?

Your occupation being on the crucial expertise record is barely step one to being eligible for a crucial expertise work visa. You’ll even have to fulfill the NQF degree and all different necessities related along with your occupation.

Because of this, we advocate talking to an immigration advisor who can let you know in case your occupation is on the brand new crucial expertise record – and assess you in opposition to all the factors.

Our consultants can do that for you! To talk with one among them, name us on +27 (0) 21 424 2460 or e mail us at information@intergate-immigration.com. Alternatively, full an immigration evaluation, and one among our consultants will contact you to debate your visa eligibility.