Rejected Visa

NEWS | REJECTED VISA? WHAT NOW?

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This places foreign nationals in South Africa in a disconcerting position and unsure where to turn to next.

Here are some of the Most Common Reasons Why Applications are Rejected

According to Marisa Jacobs, Managing Director at Xpatweb, one of the main reasons is a failure to meet the requirements in terms of the visa type being applied for.

Other reasons include:

  • Eligibility of the visa that was applied for;
  • Fraudulent existing visa and/or documents; or
  • Material and technical errors within the application pack.

Appealing Your Application Outcome

Jacobs confirms that you may appeal the rejection within 10 days of receiving the outcome should you feel that the decision by the DHA materially and adversely affects your rights and/or is unfair.

An appeal application may be submitted within South Africa, or abroad, dependent on the place of the original submission, however, should you be in South Africa at the time of a pending appeal application, and hold an expired visa, you may not leave the country until the appeal is finalised, as you will be declared undesirable upon departing the country.

Other Alternatives

In many cases, the best recourse may be to apply for a brand new application as an initial application may be too flawed to defend or otherwise convince the DHA adjudicator to reconsider the applications based on the reasons stated for the rejection, or, otherwise considering the processing timeframe of an appeal application that can take between 2 – 12 months, whereas a visa application is between 4 – 8 weeks.

Tips to Improve Your Chances of a Favourable Outcome:

  1. Ensure that you are applying for the correct visa category and that you comply with ALL of the requirements for the relevant visa application.
  2. When applying from another country, ensure to check the South African Embassy’s / High Commission’s specific requirements. These differ slightly depending on the place of submission.
  3. All documentation must be genuine and original. Where copies are provided, always ensure that they are certified/notarised by a Commissioner of Oaths or Notary, or relevant authorities in the country in which you are submitting.
  4. Double-check your documents to ensure that all of the information is completed correctly and consistently.

It is advisable that it is always best to seek professional guidance and/or assistance from an Immigration Expert as rejected applications are daunting and can often be avoided. Experts in the field will be able to point out the legality, as well as technical aspects of a rejected application and provide optimal solutions on the best way forward.

Contact us at contact@xpatweb.com should you be facing an adverse decision and require guidance to maintain your stay in South Africa legally.

Accounting A Critical Skill For South Africa

NEWS | ACCOUNTANCY A CRITICAL SKILL FOR SOUTH AFRICA

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“Due to a shortage of accountants, organisations are forced to source and recruit foreign nationals to fill the gap,” says Faith Ngwenya, Technical and Standards Executive at the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA).

Professional bodies play a key role in ensuring only foreign accountants who demonstrate professional competence and ethical integrity are permitted to practice locally under a Critical Skills Work Visa.

Critical accountancy skills

Accountancy roles included in the draft Critical Skills List are general accountant, management accountant, tax professional, accountant in practice, financial accountant, forensic accountant, accounting officer, external auditor and internal auditor.

Marisa Jacobs, Managing Director at Xpatweb agrees with the nominated roles. The company runs an annual Critical Skills Survey and was the only private sector organisation invited to present its findings to the various Departments compiling the draft Critical Skills List. “8 percent of our respondents report difficulty in recruiting skills in the accountancy and finance fields,” she says.

Asked why there are not enough local accountants, Jacobs says the problem is relative: “There are definitely many qualified accountants in the country but demand outpaces supply.”

If this is true, why do many accountancy graduates struggle to find work? “Companies are unable to risk the integrity of their accountancy function on inexperienced candidates,” says Jacobs.

The role of professional bodies

For foreign professionals to apply for a Critical Skills Visa, the Immigration Act requires that they meet certain requirements.

First, they must obtain a confirmation, in writing, from a professional body, council or board recognised by SAQA, or any relevant government Department confirming the skills or qualifications of the applicant and appropriate post qualification experience.

Second, if required by law, they need proof of application for a certificate of registration with a professional body, council or board recognised by SAQA in terms of the National Qualifications Framework Act.

Third, they must possess proof of evaluation of their foreign qualification by SAQA, which must be translated by a sworn translator into one of the official languages of the Republic.

Ngwenya says that SAIPA strives to ensure these accountants can move as quickly as possible into their new posts for the sake of economic growth. However, she insists that its standards for professional excellence and ethical conduct must be maintained throughout.

The Institute also has agreements with several international professional accountancy bodies to facilitate their members being able to work in South Africa under SAIPA’s oversight.

However, foreign national accountants should never be recruited for the sole purpose of ‘catching up on work’. “There must be well-defined programmes to transfer skills and experience to South African professionals in a way that can be measured and verified,” says Ngwenya.

Organisations also need to establish a strong succession process to identify suitable candidates who will assume key roles when the foreign accountants vacate their positions to return home.

Accountancy career path

The fact that accountancy roles appear on the draft Critical Skills List confirms the profession’s importance in economic development. It also promises enduring demand in the job market and stable income for those who pursue it as their occupation.

“We encourage anyone who enjoys working with numbers to consider a career in accountancy as they will never regret their decision,” says Ngwenya.

High school students and those wishing to study towards a business degree can visit SAIPA’s website to gain a better understanding of the Institute’s career development path and the membership opportunities open to them.

Lastly, corporate accountancy departments and private accountancy practices that have enjoyed all the profession has to offer should take on trainees. “This will help our South African graduates gain vital practical experience to practice responsibly and ensure business has enough competent accountants in the future,” says Ngwenya.

Source: SAIPA Accredited Training Centre (ATC)

NEWS | XPATWEB SURVEY REVEALS TOP 10 CRITICAL SKILLS SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESSES WANT MOST

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The Top 10

Survey participants indicated the following skills as most in demand but hardest to source locally: engineers (18%); ICT specialists (13%); foreign language speakers (10%); media and marketing specialists (9%); artisans (8%); C-suite executives (7%); senior financial executives (6%); healthcare specialists (5%); science professionals (4%); accounting professionals (1%).

Of note is the increasing urgency for media and marketing specialists, which Jacobs says is probably due to digital advances, the social media marketing explosion, and the growing sophistication of the marketing profession itself.

Respondents are also concerned that the exclusion of Corporate General Manager from the National Critical Skills List will impact their search for executives with international experience. “We anticipated the term would be replaced with specific titles, like CEO or CFO, to avoid abuse but, so far, this does not appear to be the case,” says Jacobs.

Even if their title does not appear on the Critical Skills List, organisations can still bring in foreign executives. Yet, the process involved is much longer and may cause C-suite candidates to favour offers in other regions where painless migration is assured.

Business impact

77% of organisations reported that they struggle to source critical skills in South Africa for local and cross-border operations. 76% asserted that an international search will help them satisfy their objectives.

92% indicated that missing critical skills have an impact on stakeholders within their organisation. The gaps are typically associated with the top ten critical skills above.

Skills transfer and succession planning

South African employers are sometimes accused of overlooking local talent in favour of foreign professionals. However, 81% of respondents view succession planning and skills transfer as a priority for their business.

“Many organisations have exited their foreign nationals after successfully transferring their competencies and responsibilities to local employees,” reports Jacobs. Unfortunately, the demand typically outstrips the pace of transfer.

Experience and education

Although demand is high, employers cannot risk the integrity of their operations by hiring inexperienced employees. 38 percent require three to five years experience while 28 percent demand over five years.

Similarly, 49% seek an undergraduate degree and 23% desire a postgraduate or honours degree.

Professional bodies

Foreign employees entering South Africa on a critical skills visa must first be registered with a local professional body representing their industry. 21% of respondents find the registration process of professional bodies onerous when applying for such a visa.

“While many bodies enable the efficient entry of foreign talent, others need to review their requirements and processes to ease entry while maintaining their professional standards,” suggests Jacobs.

Valuable data

Xpatweb was the only private sector organisation invited to present its 2019 survey findings before  the Departments compiling the new National Critical Skills List.

“We believe this speaks to the quality of our data, the integrity of our research methodology and the utility of the survey report,” says Jacobs.

The Xpatweb 2020/21 Critical Skills Survey Report is freely available for download from the company’s website, after registration.

AUTHOR
Marisa Jacobs
Marisa Jacobs
Director

Countries South African Emigrate to.

NEWS | THESE ARE THE COUNTRIES SOUTH AFRICANS WANT TO EMIGRATE TO RIGHT NOW

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The report also raises red flags around the number of skilled South Africans who are leaving the country – both physically and virtually.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted foreign skilled professionals’ perceptions and the government is encouraged to consider these views when seeking to enhance South Africa’s global popularity as a designation for skilled professionals,” Xpatweb said.

Citing data from the Boston Consulting Group, Xpatweb said that the number of people willing to relocate for work has declined since 2014.

However, the data also shows that most people’s view of work had been changed by the pandemic, with the result that countries that have managed the pandemic well by ‘flattening the curve’ grew in popularity as emigration destinations.

Desired emigration countries now include:

  • Canada;
  • US;
  • Australia;
  • Germany;
  • UK;
  • Japan;
  • Switzerland;
  • Singapore;
  • France;
  • New Zealand.

“On an extremely positive note, 57% of respondents indicated that they would be willing to work remotely for a company that did not have a physical presence in their home country,” the group said.

However, Xpatweb said that there is a concerning factor that 73% of organisations would also consider this option, which could further accelerate the skills brain drain without citizens even leaving the country.

“This may be good news for the fiscus, but it is a concern for South African businesses, which will now have to compete on this new virtual plane to retain the interest of local skilled professionals for whom it is becoming increasingly easy to be globally mobile while working remotely from home.”

However, the group said that there are a number of skills that are still in short supply in South Africa, with demand set to continue for at least the next few years as other countries are also facing similar skills challenges.

Virtual brain drain

The Boston Consulting Group has said that this shift in working patterns could have interesting implications, with Africa emerging as a possible virtual talent pool for Western companies.

“This is especially the case for European employers, who don’t need to deal with much time difference when employing African talent remotely,” said Rudi van Blerk, principal and recruiting director at Boston Consulting Group, Johannesburg.

“This could be a good opportunity for South African workers to gain global work experience, build their career, and get better compensation – without having to worry about visas or relocation costs.

“However, this could present the risk of virtual brain drain for the South African economy,” he said.

While there is less willingness now to pull up stakes and move to a foreign country, the data shows a high level of enthusiasm for virtual mobility – staying in one’s home country while working for a foreign employer.

“Workers in the whole of Africa have shown that they are very open to working remotely for a foreign employer,” said Wiebka Cooper, operations manager at CareerJunction.

“Remote working has grown significantly as a trend because of the pandemic and offers opportunities for workers to advance their careers even with international companies without needing to relocate.”

Source: Businesstech

Critical Skills Survey Results 2020-2021 Released Top 10 Most in Demand Skills

NEWS | CRITICAL SKILLS SURVEY RESULTS 2020/2021 RELEASED: THE TOP 10 MOST IN DEMAND SKILLS

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Xpatweb’s annual survey has fast become known as a benchmark for business and policy makers. Input from the 2019 research findings was submitted for consideration when the drafting the latest OIHD critical skills shortage list. The survey was conducted across a wide range of multi-national and corporate firms to assess the level of difficulty organisations face when sourcing scarce skilled individuals and the role of foreign nationals in addressing these shortages. The number of respondents has grown exponentially in recent years, with a 30% increase in responses from 178 in 2019, to 220 in 2020/21.

Xpatweb managing director Marisa Jacobs highlighted the results of the latest Xpatweb Critical Skills Survey 2020/21.

“The survey has revealed that 77% of organisations have stated that they are still struggling to recruit and obtain critical skills in South Africa for their local and cross-border operations. 76% of participants further confirmed that an international search will assist the organisation in meeting its business objectives,” Jacobs said.

Top 10 most in demand skills

According to the latest survey, the top ten skills businesses are struggling to recruit include Engineers (18%), ICT (13%); Foreign language speakers (10%); Media and Marketing Specialists (9%); Artisans (8%); C-Suite Executives (7%); Senior Financial Executives (6%); Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences (5%); Science Professionals (4%) and Accounting (1%).

Over the past five years, the skills shortage has persisted with eight categories of skills dominating the top of the list of professionals that businesses find difficult to recruit.

“This has led to many organisations seeking suitably qualified and experienced candidates beyond South Africa’s borders to fill these posts” Jacobs said.

ICT professionals and Engineers in highest demand

The number of businesses indicating that engineers are difficult to recruit rose from 16% to 18% which could indicate that these skills are being lost to the brain drain as countries like Australia and the United Kingdom compete directly with South Africa for qualified and experienced professionals. Business expansions into Africa for special projects locally in the oil and gas sectors also tend to attract these in demand skills.

Mechanical engineers (26%) were most in demand, followed by maintenance engineers (18%), chemical engineers (13%) and industrial engineers (14%).

The demand for ICT skills remains unprecedented and, on the rise, as 14% of businesses, compared to 15% of respondents in the 2019 survey now indicate that they struggle to source skilled professionals in this field to drive their operational demand to transition into the digital economy.

Professionals most sought after included IT application developers (11%), data analysts (10%), data scientists (9%), software developers (9%) and software engineers (8%).

“As big data, robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning and the internet of things rapidly shape the way of doing business, which often marks the difference between firms that survive and thrive in the transition from the third industrial revolution into the 4IR and those that don’t compete effectively, sourcing these skills is a priority that cuts across all sectors,” Jacobs noted.

Cross border trade growth spurs demand for C-Suit executives and foreign language speakers

Senior Financial and C-Suite Executives remain in demand with the number organisations reporting that it is a struggle to find suitable candidates to fill these key business leadership positions.

Most in demand professions were Chief Operating Officer (24%), Chief Financial Officer (24%), Chief Executive Officer (19%) and Chief Technology Officer (19%).

These skills are most sought after in sectors including business and finance; production and manufacturing; management; information communication; IT and technical services, mining and administrative services.

“Factors influencing the challenges that businesses face in recruiting the right person for these roles include the fact that in a global village, organisations are increasingly seeking professionals with international experience. Businesses are not only seeking essential tick box qualifications and experience required for a traditional executive position, but they want professionals who are equipped with niche business experience to lead their expansion and growth across international markets,” Jacobs explained

“Businesses are aware of market dynamics in their various global markets and need to be certain that candidates understand the nuances of their specific focus areas,” Jacobs added.

This global expansion of businesses and especially growth in cross-border trade on the African continent has also led to rising demand for foreign language skilled professionals, including the hiring of interpreters.

Some 10% of organisations indicated that they struggle to find people with adequate foreign language skills, a marked increase from just 4% in the 2019 survey.

Foreign language speakers most in demand included, French (29%), German (18%), Mandarin (14%); Italian (10%), Spanish (10%) and Dutch (4%). Sectors that are finding a demand for these skills are largely information technology and communication; business and finance; hospitality and tourism and education and libraries.

Global competition for skills

The survey findings reveal that South Africa continues to compete on a global stage for critical skills.

The United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom’s critical skills shortage lists virtually mirror the skills that SA is desperate to attracted as highlighted in the 2020/21 Critical Skills survey – from ICT and C-Suite Executives to Engineers, the country’s need to fill posts in these fields to grow their economies.

“SA has to compete more than ever with the likes of the US, Australia and the UK when considering its strategy to recruit skilled professionals. SA policy makers therefore need to consider how to make it as easy as possible for skilled professionals to gain access to work and business opportunities locally,” Jacobs advised.

“Fortunately, the SA government is serious about this and has updated the critical skills list to stay in touch with the needs of the local economy. The critical skills list makes it possible for businesses to embark on recruitment drives to source these skilled professionals abroad which makes it important for organisations to take advantage of the opportunity to comment on the new list before the deadline,” Jacobs concluded.

Many of the skills on this new survey echo the new Occupation in High Demand (OIHD) list which served as the basis for the updated Critical Skills List (CSL) released Minister of the Department of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi last month for public comment by 31 March 2021. The CSL represents the latest list of skills deemed in short supply in SA and who may apply for a work visa in terms of the Critical Skills Visa category under the Immigration Act.
AUTHOR
Marisa Jacobs
Marisa Jacobs
Director