Critical Skills Work Permits

A Critical Skills Work Visa (governed under Section 19(4) of the South African Immigration Act) allows qualified foreign nationals with occupations on South Africa’s official Critical Skills List to live and work in the country.

Because these occupations address national labor shortages, this visa bypasses the strict Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) market tests and advertisement requirements that apply to standard work permits.

Key Features & Benefits

• Validity: Issued for up to 5 years (or the duration of your contract), with the option to renew from within South Africa.

• No Labour Department Clearance Required: Unlike the General Work Visa, employers do not need to prove they searched for a local candidate first.

• Direct Path to Permanent Residence: Holders can apply for Permanent Residence (under Section 27(b)) immediately upon securing a permanent employment offer and demonstrating relevant post-qualification experience in their listed field.

• Family Accompanying Visas: Spouses and dependent children are eligible to accompany the primary visa holder on accompanying temporary residence visas.

REQUIREMENTS: (all forms to be completed in black ink)
• MACHINE READABLE VALID PASSPORT WITH MINIMUM TWO UNUSED
VISA LABEL PAGES. PASSPORT MUST BE VALID FOR MINIMUM 30
DAYS AFTER THE INTENDED DATE OF DEPARTURE FROM SOUTH
AFRICA.
• NON-REFUNDABLE APPLICATION FEE (IF APPLICABLE) IN THE FORM
OF MONEY ORDER / CASHIERS CHECK: $127.00
• COMPLETED DHA-1738 SIGNED BY APPLICANT.
• TWO PASSPORT PHOTOS.
• CERTIFIED/NOTARIZED COPY BIO PAGE OF PASSPORT.
• CERTIFIED COPY OF VALID PROOF OF RESIDENCE IN US (Green
Card/H1 B/ J1/ L1 etc) (Proof of residence must be valid for duration of
stay in South Africa) (B1/B2 US VISA HOLDERS NOT ELIGIBLE TO
APPLY – MUST APPLY IN COUNTRY OF ORIGIN).
• PROOF OF TENTATIVE TRAVEL ITINERARY OF ROUND-TRIP AIR
TICKETS. DO NOT PURCHASE AIR TICKETS PRIOR TO OBTIANING
SOUTH AFRICAN VISA.
• PROOF OF FINANCIAL MEANS IN THE FORM OF THREE (3) MONTHS OF
THE MOST RECENT BANK STATEMENTS, STAMPED BY THE BANKINGINSTITUTION (NO NOTARY STAMPS) OR WRITTEN CONFIRMATION
FROM BANKING INSTITUTION-ONLINE BANKS.
• PROOF OF TENTATIVE ACCOMMODATION.
• IF HOSTED BY SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZEN OR PERMENANT RESIDENT:
LETTER OF INVITATION, COPY OF CERTIFIED RSA ID DOCUMENT,
PROOF OF RESIDENCE OF HOST (UTILITY BILL).
• IF HOSTED BY NON-SOUTH AFRICAN: LETTER OF INVITATION, COPY
OF CERTIFIED VALID BIO PAGE OF PASSPORT AND VISA, PROOF OF
RESIDENCE OF HOST (UTILITY BILL).
• YELLOW FEVER CERTIFICATE IS REQUIRED FOR APPLICANTS
TRAVELING THROUGH YELLOW FEVER BELT AREAS EN ROUTE TO
SOUTH AFRICA.
• MEDICAL REPORT ON PRESCRIBED FORM – DHA-811 (PHYSICAL). THE
CERTIFICATE MUST NOT BE OLDER THAN SIX (6) MONTHS AT THE TIME
THE APPLICANT SUBMITS AN APPLICATION.
• ORIGINAL FBI CERTIFICATE (FULL CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK
REPORT) AND ORIGINAL POLICE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE FROM EACH
COUNTRY WHERE THE RELEVANT APPLICANT RESIDED FOR
12
MONTHS OR LONGER AFTER ATTAINING THE AGE OF 18 YEARS (FOR THE
LAST 5 YEARS) IN RESPECT OF CRIMINAL RECORDS OR THE CHARACTER
OF THAT APPLICANT, WHICH CERTIFICATE SHALL NOT BE OLDER THAN
SIX MONTHS AT THE TIME OF ITS SUBMISSION.
• MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE OR IN THE CASE OF A FOREIGN SPOUSAL
RELATIONSHIP, PROOF OF OFFICIAL RECOGNITION THEREOF ISSUED
BY THE AUTHORITIES OF THE FOREIGN COUNTRY OF THE APPLICANT
(WHERE APPLICABLE).
• THE AFFIDAVIT WHERE A SPOUSAL RELATIONSHIP TO A SOUTH
AFRICAN CITIZEN OR PERMANENT RESIDENT IS APPLICABLE, AS
WELL AS DOCUMENTATION PROVING COHABITATION AND THE
EXTENT TO WHICH THE RELATED FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES ARE
SHARED BY THE PARTIES AND SETTING OUT THE PARTICULARS OF
CHILDREN IN THE SPOUSAL RELATIONSHIP.
• PROOF OF A UNION RECOGNIZED IN TERMS OF THE RECOGNITION
OF CUSTOMARY MARRIAGES ACT, 1998 (ACT NO. 120 OF 1998),
WHERE APPLICABLE.
• DIVORCE DECREE, WHERE APPLICABLE.
• PROOF OF COURT ORDER AWARDING CUSTODY, WHERE
APPLICABLE.
• DEATH CERTIFICATE, IN RESPECT OF LATE SPOUSE, WHERE
APPLICABLE.
• WRITTEN CONSENT FROM BOTH PARENTS AND/OR SOLE CUSTODY
PARENT, WHERE APPLICABLE, WITH PROOF OF SOLE CUSTODY.
• PROOF OF LEGAL ADOPTION, WHERE APPLICABLE.

Applications are assessed individually and time frames may vary, therefore you are kindly requested to wait until a decision on your application is taken and is ready for collection, as VFS Global cannot control or influence the processing times in any way.

Visa fees

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