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NEWS | AFRICA BORDERS REOPENING: RESPITE FOR CORPORATES WITH AFRICAN FOOTPRINT

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To highlight the underlying impact hereon, Xpatweb conducted an Africa Permit Impact Survey which aimed to measure the impact on projects in Africa. 62% of survey respondents indicated that they had to postpone the start date of their critical projects due to lockdown measures.

Feeling the Pinch: Africa Travel and Tourism

Travel and tourism contribute over €150 billion to Africa’s economy combined, representing 7.1% of GDP and supporting millions of jobs, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council in May 2020. Unfortunately, COVID-19 restrictions halted that growth, with temporary lockdowns forcing airports, hotels, and restaurants to shut down for varying periods. Even though these were temporary restrictions, it might take months for the tourism industry to recover to its normal levels.

Although travel has been greatly impacted, it is noteworthy that most often the relevant Authorities in different jurisdictions in Africa, have made exceptions to allow emergency travel for urgent and critical work activities, especially where there is a direct impact on a given project. Harmoniously, since the start of the South Africa lockdown, it has been Xpatweb’s main objective to keep our clients and the community updated on recurring immigration changes within South Africa.

Based on our experience assisting clients to obtain such travel documentation, numerous Government authorities issued approvals to allow professionals to leave South Africa for work purposes. Under normal circumstances, it is a challenge to obtain concessions from Government authorities. However, despite travel restrictions of varying degrees, approvals were successfully issued to travellers to enter African countries such as, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Ivory Coast, Lesotho, Swaziland, Senegal, Mozambique etc. With the necessary approvals in place, travellers, business people, and foreigners, were able to reach their final destinations successfully.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Most African countries have now opened for travel, whereby tourists and/or professionals can enter an African country provided that they have valid reasons to travel during these times. It is important to note that regulations differ from country to country hence we advise all travellers to confirm the regulations of their destination country and/or transiting country before proceeding with travel arrangements. For the latest updates on Africa borders and closures, please click here.

Should you have any questions or require assistance with travel approval, please contact us on africadesk@xpatweb.com.

Critical Skills Survey SA's Most Sought After Skills

NEWS | THE MOST IN DEMAND SKILLS IN SOUTH AFRICA – RESULTS FROM THE ANNUAL CRITICAL SKILLS SURVEY

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The purpose was to highlight which skills employers find most difficult to recruit locally and as such provide input to the much anticipated new draft critical skills list from the Department of Home Affairs which will specify which occupations will qualify for a work visa in the Critical Skills Visa category and as such directly impacting employers.

When unpacking the results, we found that 89% of participants stated that their organisation struggles to recruit critically skilled individuals. Furthermore, 76% of participants indicated the need to search internationally for these skills which will assist the organisation to meet critical business objectives. When asked about the visa application process, 79% of participants indicated that the process remains a prohibitor and with only a limited number of companies managing to avoid the negative impact that the visa application system might have on their business.

ICT Specialists and Engineers Remain in High Demand

The results further show that ICT Specialists and Engineers continue to be one of the most sought-after skills with 19% and 21% of participants respectively indicating same. This is supported by the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE), who stated in 2019 that South Africa continues to lose hundreds of engineers year on year who emigrate with their families. This “brain drain” has created a massive skills shortage in the Engineering sector.

When looking at ICT professionals, a summit hosted by the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA) at Leaderex in 2019 revealed that South Africa is in desperate need of ICT skills, and sadly, the Education sector is just unable to produce these skills in the numbers that South Africa needs. These factors are just the tip of the iceberg that cause multinationals to search globally for the skills needed.

Skilled Artisans Still Sought After

The biggest jump in demand was recorded for Artisans with an increase of 60% from 2017 to 2019. This is supported by the Government’s statement in 2017 that South Africa has a shortfall of about 40,000 qualified artisans, and this gap is expected to widen as demand continues to increase. This forces industry to import skilled artisans from various countries to complete time sensitive projects.

Global Competition for Skills

Contrarily, whilst South Africa is seeking critically skilled individuals, recent reports have shown that the momentum of South Africans seeking opportunities abroad has increased significantly over the past 5 – 10 years due to the concern of economic growth in South Africa. It is therefore important to be reminded that skills are globally sourced for the economic benefit of those countries and South Africa has to compete for scarce skills. When viewing the results in their entirety, it remains evident that there is a continued lack of critically skilled individuals available in South Africa and key stakeholders need to address these problems collectively in an effort to reinvigorate the economy.


AUTHOR
Marisa-Jacobs
Marisa Jacobs
Director

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NEWS | EXPECT A BACKLOG IN WORK VISA APPLICATION PROCESSING FOR FOREIGNERS IN AFRICA

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Tarissa Wareley, an immigration expert at Xpatweb, says that immigration departments will need to streamline their approach to processing permits and visas’ backlog. Employers as well as workers are also encouraged to start their visa renewal and application processes far ahead of borders reopening. “The process of getting the required work permit renewals isn’t necessarily as complex, but many African countries’ immigration departments will need to make provisions for workers who have been out of the country and therefore had documents that expired due to COVID-19 lockdowns. Instead of having everyone start from scratch with the application process, immigration departments will benefit from creating a streamlined process to assist these foreign workers in getting back to their job sites as soon as lockdowns are lifted. Some countries have lead times of 2 – 3 months to process work permits and visa applications.

“We advise companies and workers to start their application processes early and for immigration departments to see where they can start assisting foreign workers who were unable to renew their visas due to the pandemic,” says Wareley.

Foreign work visa applications likely to receive more scrutiny

According to survey results, 48% of employers have new assignees that need permits to enter. Kenya, DRC, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Botswana were among the top five countries that require the entry of new expats.

“Employers who have identified critical personnel need to apply for the permits now as these applications will likely receive a larger amount of scrutiny to prove that a local cannot do the job due to many of these countries suffering job losses as a result of COVID-19. Employers may also need to start considering how they will transfer those skills to a local ahead of the permit being granted as these applications may need to be additionally motivated,” says Wareley.

How border closures have affected industries and projects

62% of survey respondents indicated that they had to postpone the start date of their critical projects due to the lockdown. The most affected sectors are oil and gas (14%), mining (15%), and construction (18%). The countries that have been most impacted by projects that have not been able to start due to lockdowns are Kenya, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Madagascar, DRC, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Ghana, and Nigeria.

“With immigration departments still working despite travel restrictions, immigration processes should continue to be processed while we wait for borders to open. Processes are layered and complex, often taking several weeks to be adjudicated before someone can enter a country. Get your documents in place so that work can resume as soon as possible after border restrictions are lifted,” concludes Wareley.


AUTHOR
Tarissa Wareley - Immigration Specialist
Tarissa Wareley
Immigration Specialist

New Critical Skills Survey

NEWS | NEW CRITICAL SKILLS SURVEY – THE MOST IN-DEMAND SKILLS

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The list is currently open for public comment until 7 September 2020. The list will serve as the basis for the Department of Home Affairs’ (DHA) updated Critical Skills list, which was originally expected earlier this year.

“The new Critical Skills list was expected to be released in April 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed this process,” says Xpatweb’s Marisa Jacobs. “The Occupations in High Demand list is now available for public commentary, submissions must be made by Monday, 7 September. The significance of the list is that it will form the basis for the updated Critical Skills list by the DHA which contains all the skills deemed in short supply in South Africa. Thus, any person who fits the criteria contained therein may qualify for a Work Visa, under the Critical Skills Visa category, as per the Immigration Act.”

Xpatweb is running its fourth annual critical skills survey among local businesses, including JSE-listed companies and large multinational groups. Companies are encouraged to submit their inputs before 4 September on the skills they struggle to recruit locally.

“It is important that employers are represented with a submission and inputs on any occupations not included on the list and the survey results will form the basis of this submission. It’s a tight deadline, but the response has been very positive. Survey respondents grew by 30% last year and we’re expecting an even greater spike this year as the local business community – across all sectors – are eager to give input on the government gazette that will determine which foreign skills local businesses can employ under the Critical Skills visa category,” says Jacobs.

As skilled Saffers immigrate, local companies need to recruit internationally for these critical skills

There is a growing concern among many South Africans that skilled people are leaving the country in droves, choosing to relocate to New Zealand, Canada, the UK, Australia and Mauritius to name a few. Any discussion about emigration numbers is complicated by the fact that there is no official bureau in South Africa that collects emigration data. Resources from Stats SA, the United Nations International Migrant Stock database, and National statistics offices (NSOs) of foreign nations, however, suggest that upwards of 23,000 people per year are emigrating from South Africa.

“People who are emigrating are often skilled and experienced, which is why they can find work abroad. Therefore, it is important to be reminded that skills are globally sourced for the economic benefit of those countries and South Africa has to compete for scarce skills,” says Jacobs.

The Critical Skills List update is long overdue

The latest Critical Skills List by the Department of Home Affairs was published in 2014. According to Xpatweb’s annual survey, several occupations that corporate South Africa needs are not on the latest DHET Occupations in High Demand list, including several categories of ICT specialists and engineers, and foreign language speakers. Occupations included range from chef, wine maker, tobacco grader and tour guide to nurse, rigger, actuary and software engineer

“There is a continued lack of critically skilled individuals available in South Africa and thanks to survey participants, we are able to guide the government’s critical skills list and help shape the decisions that will help local businesses reinvigorate the economy,” concludes Jacobs.


AUTHOR
Marisa Jacobs - Director
Marisa Jacobs
Director

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NEWS | VEHICLE CONSIDERATIONS IN MAURITIUS

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Smaller cars are more conducive to driving the narrower, paved roads of Mauritius. For an exceptional, fun, and more adventurous experience with the added benefit that everything in Mauritius is within a two hour drive, it definitely makes it worth your while to drive yourself.

Finding a car in Mauritius
Besides rental services and public transport, you can also consider purchasing a car. Most people already have an idea of the vehicle they are looking to purchase, to match their needs, their budget or their personal preference about a particular model.

As a starting point to research cars in Mauritius, we recommend that individuals check newspapers such as: Le Mauricien and Le Matinal. There are also many car dealers such as Asset Plus Motors, Ginza, Salim Motors which is worth a visit to consult on a befitting vehicle and get an idea of price ranges. This will inform you of wider choices in terms of brands and prices and enable you to make the right decision.

Vehicle Inspection Before Purchasing
When you decide to purchase a vehicle, a full inspection must be done properly, especially if you are looking to buy a pre-owned vehicle. While used car prices will accommodate your pocket, some pre-owned vehicles might have undisclosed mechanical gremlins and body damage issues. You must inspect the car for dents and scratches, check how clean the interior is and negotiate the price according to the condition of the car. The resale value of a car depends on the make/model, the mileage, age of the vehicle, and overall condition.

Arrange Car Insurance, Declaration And Fitness
You need to get the vehicle insured as soon as possible and also ensure your road tax (declaration) is up to date or extended accordingly. For vehicles older than 7 years, you will need to get a fitness certificate either from the seller or by taking the car to the Vehicle Inspection Centre.

Register The Vehicle In Your Name And Transfer Ownership
Once you have made payment to the seller and have obtained 2 signed copies of the Contract of Sale, the horsepower and the Certificate de Gage, you are required go to Emmanuel Anquetil Building in Port-Louis to register the vehicle in your name.

The Requirements To Drive In Mauritius

  • The minimum driving age is 21-23 years old;
  • A valid driving license issued by recognised authorities (from country of origin or locally) or an International Driving Permit, valid for at least a year;
  • Mauritius accepts EU and international driving licenses but documents in non-Roman alphabets such as Arabic, Chinese, or Cyrillic must be accompanied by an International Driver’s Permit;
  • Proof of identity – a passport and/or Identity Card and/or Residence Permit;
  • Proof of address – home address and/or current address locally;
  • A valid Credit/ Debit Card (Visa, MasterCard, Amex) for the full settlement of outstanding rental fees and for the preauthorisation of the excess/deductible/security deposit; and
  • Mauritius Attractions reserves the right to cancel or reject any car rental bookings should the requirement not be met.

Car Rentals In Mauritius
In most cases, it is best to hire a car in Mauritius, as opposed to buying one especially for non-residents. Renting a car in Mauritius will save money especially if an individual does not plan to permanently reside on the island or would simply like to familiarise themselves with a vehicle before committing to such a big purchase.

Benefits Of Long-Term Car Rentals And Car Leasing Plans
Budget, length of stay in Mauritius, preferred car rental period and personal preferences will determine which option will be best suited.

Included in the Long-Term Car Rental:

  • Insurance with a reputed company;
  • Vehicle maintenance, repair, and service (excluding damages done due to negligent driving/ use);
  • 24-hour towing service and road –side assistance;
  • Flexible long-term rental plans (car rental periods of over 2 months);
  • Wide range of vehicles to choose from; and
  • Private vehicle for personal use.

If you need more information on the journey to Immigrate to Mauritius please contact us as we provide integrated services to support you before and after your arrival in Mauritius.

Additionally, we have relocation tips which answers all your questions from property, opening a bank account and tax implication and more, for further consideration.