The Expat Spouse: Unable To Work While Their Partners Work Abroad

The Expat Spouse: Unable To Work While Their Partners Work Abroad

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Spouses or life partners of expatriates are often referred to as “the trailing spouse” because they followed their partners wherever they went. While the role has long-since departed from being a gender-specific one, there has also been a rise in dual career couples.

According to Marisa Jacobs, Director at Xpatweb Expatriate Solutions, this is a common problem that couples encounter when they find work offshore. “Whether coming into South Africa or working abroad, spouses often do not want to put their careers on hold, which is why they are surprised by the restrictions on their visas.”

The concerns facing partners or spouses of expatriates

If spouses wish to work in the country where their partners are on assignment, they are often required to apply for their own work permit, which is subject to approval from that country’s immigration services. This could mean having their qualifications assessed or first obtaining an offer of employment.

Slow work permit processing times, complex human resources procedures, or foreign immigration services not yet recognising non-married partners or same-sex couples, are some of the hurdles currently being encountered.

This uncertainty could hinder a spouse’s ability to integrate or settle into their new surroundings. It places an additional burden on the relocating family adding to an already stressful life event and assignment pressures.

The concerns facing unaccompanied expatriates

Many couples resort to staying in two jurisdictions, especially where the spouse or partner is unable or unwilling to put their career on hold and will not be able to work in the host country because of visa limitations. However, this too can put a lot of strain on a family.

Besides being separated from their family, the stress of being isolated in a foreign country while your family is so far away, can become unbearable. Frequent travel to visit your family can be expensive and cause some friction with their employers. The inability to adhere to required days in or out of a country, could also have serious tax implications.

“We have seen some governments recognising partners of international assignees and allowing them to work in the host country, especially where the main applicant holds a scarce skills visa to ensure they continue to attract those candidates who the country is most in need of. In South Africa this is however a more far away reality due to the high unemployment numbers. Different strategies are required on a case-by-case basis with some advance planning to assist where spouses are keen to pursue careers while ‘on assignment’,” says Jacobs.

The Permits Foundation Survey

The Permit Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, has been campaigning to improve work permit regulations for partners of expatriates over the last ten years. Since their inception in 2001, their efforts have contributed to 35 countries implementing legislation to enable dependant work access. With a focus on achieving legislative change at government level, they’ve had a surprisingly favourable response from employers with expats under their employ.

In South Africa the Foundation has been making the recommendation that consideration be given to the issue of access to employment for legally recognised family members of critical skills visa holders and intra-corporate transferees. According to Helen Frew, Director of Permits Foundation, “Particularly in light of COVID -19, the added assurance before the decision to move, that both members of a dual careers couple can work, would help to make a huge difference to employers and mobile families and the experience from other countries shows that there would be no adverse impact on the local labour market.”

The Foundation’s first HR survey conducted in 2011 revealed that 96% of employers agreed that partners of expatriates should be allowed to work in that host country. Many companies are already aware of the concerns expats and their partners are facing, and know they run the risk of assignments being terminated prematurely because of it. As a result, many have started offering dual career support initiatives to promote family-friendly policies or to increase staff mobility and well-being.

Their latest survey is underway and promises to deliver remarkable insight into the challenges faced by expats and their partners. Expatriates and global mobility specialists are encouraged to share their views about mobile spouse and partner work authorisation.

“Permits Foundation’s work is underpinned by a strong evidence base and South Africa is a priority country for the Foundation. To help us highlight the issue of work access going forward, it is very important to us that spouses of international employees participate in our International Dual Careers survey, which runs until end November,” concludes Helen Frew.

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Digital Vax Cards To Simplify Post-Pandemic Travel

Digital Vax Cards To Simplify Post-Pandemic Travel

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Karen MaartensKaren Maartens
Travel Manager

With the holidays fast approaching, tourism departments are mining for visitors to boost flailing hospitality sectors, while travel agencies are battling to jumpstart commercial air travel. International travel has been reduced to a trickle, but it is sure to grow into hordes of travellers within the next couple of months, which will include both tourists and professionals.

Large-scale vaccination card corruption

One of the main purposes of introducing a vaccination certificate is to provide travellers with ease-of-access when crossing borders or passing through security checkpoints, instead of being subjected to long waiting periods and bouts of quarantine.

The authentication of physical vax cards has proven to be time-consuming and could create congestion at airports, especially when travel returns to normal. After reports of thousands of fake Covid-19 vaccination cards being sold on the black market, it became clear that the certification process was also too corruptible. Since then, most countries have introduced their own government-backed digital certification system to regulate travel in and out of their borders.

One of the most effective methods used to prove someone’s vaccination status, is with a QR-based digital code that can be stored on a mobile device for record-keeping. Due to international-standard security measures and fraud detection, the electronic certification process is far less corruptible and available to anyone with a smartphone, which makes it the preferred choice for corporate travellers running multiple business trips.

South Africans start planning their UK trips

Until recently, South Africa has been stuck on a card-based certification system. This has contributed largely to our controversial non-removal from international “red-lists” which barred South Africans from gaining entry to certain countries, like the UK. After months of querying South Africa’s inclusion on the UK’s naughty list, it was announced that we will be removed from 11 October 2021 and allowed to travel to the UK, provided that travellers adhere to strict Covid travel regulations.

This comes days after the Minister of Health, Joe Phaahla, confirmed that South Africa has begun rolling out digital vaccination certificates which can be used for local travel within South Africa, as well as certain countries abroad. It will be an electronic travel document, which makes it no different to an airline ticket or a yellow-fever certificate. As South Africa readies itself for an influx of UK visitors, the implementation of an electronic vaccination certificate for local travellers could alleviate the potential strain on airports.

However, international travellers hoping for digital vax cards that will open all the doors, might be in for a long wait. The biggest trouble facing this initiative, is the lack of uniformity in the various types of digital certification. The fact that there is not yet a standardized digital certificate that is recognized and usable by all jurisdictions, disqualifies it as a vaccination passport.

Traveller health information stored on a database in one country is often inaccessible to authorities of the country they wish to enter, which confines the certificate to the same verification processes of physical vaccination cards. The only difference with a government-backed digital certification, is that it will be viewed as more authoritative and will, therefore, be accepted by some countries.

Post-pandemic travel has become complex and requires excessive research and planning, which puts a lot of the responsibility on the individual or the travel agency assisting the individual. That said, a skilled travel agent should be able to provide more clarity about the entry conditions of the country a traveller intends to visit.

For any assistance with guidance on your future travels please feel free to contact our travel experts at Xpatweb Travel.

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Covid And The Current Global Movement

Covid And The Current Global Movement

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Travel from South Africa is closely monitored. Daily commuters from neighbouring countries are allowed entry, but exit between other countries are subject to compliance with protocols relating to-

(a) Screening for Covid-19 and quarantine or isolation, where necessary;
(b) The wearing of a face mask;
(c) Transportation; and
(d) Sanitization and social distancing measures as per the relevant health protocols on safety and prevention of the spread of Covid-19.

Travellers arriving to other countries must provide a valid negative Covid test, which was obtained less than 72 hours prior to arrival.

In the event of the traveller’s failure to submit a valid negative Covid test, they will be required to take an antigen test on arrival. If the traveller is positive, they will be required to isolate at their own cost for a period of 10 days, depending on the destination.

Covid and visa applications within South African embassies and consulates

Recent changes to visa application processes in South Africa, resulted in additional requirements being implemented to ensure that only essential travel is conducted. This could mean that visa requests are no longer being treated within embassies or consulates, but rather within the Immigration Department inside the country of destination. The processing time of visas also doubled due to strict review processes being conducted within each embassy or consulate. Countries where the number of Covid infections have decreased, are currently considering tourism activities, though it depends on the country where an applicant originates from.

Issues experienced with visa applications

Where some embassies and consulates in South Africa have started accepting visa applications, appointments are still difficult to come by and stringent requirements further retard the process. USA and Canadian embassies and consulates allow the capturing of visa applications, but appointments have not yet been confirmed.

As an Immigration Services Provider, we highly advise all travellers to discuss their travel plans with experts within the industry. This will avoid obtaining negative outcomes on applications.

Please be advised that, even though we face challenges based on the above, Xpatweb still delivers visas and permits throughout Africa, especially in Botswana, Angola, Mozambique, DRC, and Zambia. Please contact us should you need assistance

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Home Affairs Shakes Off Covid Dust

Home Affairs Shakes Off COVID Dust

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Some have undergone extensive renovations; others have digitized their systems to adapt to new ways of conducting business online. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) seems to be following suit.

In a recent communication to parliament, minister Aaron Motsoaledi hinted that the adjustment to level 1 signalled the end of downtime at home affairs. Not only has operations at branch-level returned to normal with full force, but Dr Motsoaledi highlighted some changes and improvements they hope to implement by 2024.

The knock-on effect of lockdown and the coming elections

The closure of international borders during the pandemic, did not only leave travellers or expatriates stranded in foreign countries, but it also wreaked havoc for immigration services the world over.  Because the travel ban offered no certainty about when travel would return to normal, systems and procedures had to be adjusted and rules and regulations had to be relaxed. In similar fashion, the DHA resorted to forego renewal deadlines for passports, IDs, permits and visas, with generous extensions given to those who were caught in limbo.

The validity period of visas, as well as asylum and refugee permits, that were legally issued by the DHA between December 2019 and 14 March 2021, were extended to 31 December 2021. However, visas that were obtained post-15 March 2021, will be subject to the normal application criteria. Even individuals whose Permanent Residence Permit applications were rejected between 10 March 2020 and 30 September 2021, were given until 15 December 2021 to submit an appeal application to the DHA.

With local government elections around the corner, DHA extended their hours during the voter’s registration weekend and vowed to fast track applications for identification documents, as well as offer ongoing support to those in need of ID’s or temporary identification certificates. However, as reassuring as these efforts have been, the DHA is looking even further to the future.

Home Affairs is set to enter the digital age

Leniencies and good graces aside, the DHA has bounced back from lockdown with a much-needed plan to revamp their department. This promises to streamline their services and expedite application processes across the board, which comes as great news for individuals looking to obtain residency permits or visas.

Dr Motsoaledi mentioned that the key focus of their overhaul would be to conform to the need for digital transformation. While it is equally important to do a modernization of walk-in branches, internet access and tech updates will improve their information technology infrastructure. The most obvious obstacle to address was the outdated IT framework, which has become the true thorn in the department’s side. The issue of connectivity and internet speed had caused severe system delays over the years, which further stalled the digitization process.

Mobile trucks equipped with VSAT systems to facilitate services in rural areas and state-of-the-art self-service kiosks where citizens can reprint or re-issue certificates, applications, Smart ID’s or passports, are some of the enhancements Dr Motsoaledi has earmarked for future roll-out.

Home Affairs are slowly working towards a fully integrated system where the burden of administration is simplified or turned into a self-service solution where applicants can track their progress online. These enhancements will certainly put South African immigration services on the right track towards reaching an international standard. Until such time, it is always advisable to consult an immigration specialist who has an established relationship with the DHA.

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Foreign Investment and Skills to Fuel the Presidential Employment Stimulus

Foreign Investment and Skills to Fuel the Presidential Employment Stimulus

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This initiative was established in 2020 and aimed to create massive employment opportunities in a short space of time. The use of digital platforms aided immensely in facilitating job applications by simplifying and expediting the recruitment processes. As a result, nearly half a million people have benefitted from the first phase.

The link between Foreign Direct Invest and the Unemployment Rate

According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey of the 1st quarter of 2021, South Africa had an official unemployment rate of 32,6%. Young people aged 15 – 34 were the hardest hit, with an estimated unemployment rate for South African youth hanging at a shocking 46,3%.

In stark contrast, the official Nigerian unemployment rate soared to 8% in 2019 just before the pandemic, which sent a ripple through government departments. Nigeria announced that it was calling on all foreign investors to consider Nigeria as a prime investment location, stating that the only way to reduce their high unemployment rate, was to create an enabling environment for foreigners so that they would come in and produce locally. They further said that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) would help develop the agricultural value chain. This would lead to an industrialisation, which is another step towards improving unemployment.

Numerous studies have been conducted about the effects of FDI on unemployment figures in countries like the USA, Macedonia, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. They all concluded that FDI could stimulate job creation, boost economic growth, provide global resource allocation, and improve the host-country’s Gross Domestic Product while enhancing their finance ability. The only drawback is that it was a long-run relationship that had to be maintained.

A World Economic Forum study detailed the link between unemployment and FDI in Japan. The study reported that “foreign direct investment usually initiates increases in the production of final goods in foreign countries, which positively affects the production of intermediate inputs in the home country, resulting in the maintenance of, or an increase in, the demand for domestic labour.”

According to Marisa Jacobs, Director from Xpatweb, this finding is best illustrated by the example of foreign companies who developed the South African Contact Centre Industry. “At first, there was an uproar from locals because the call centres had to employ foreign agents to facilitate customer service calls in foreign languages. What everyone failed to recognise was how it led to the subsequent three-fold employment of South Africans across each company’s internal departments, such as finance, marketing, software development, human resources, IT infrastructure, business intelligence, and many more,” explained Jacobs.

Integration and Skill-Sharing in the Workplace

The points mentioned in the President’s letter is a promising start towards rectifying a sad statistic. However, Jacobs warns that there is no way to stop the valuable skillsets and qualified professionals currently leaving South Africa in droves.

“National employment drives and initiatives generally serve to create new opportunities for a younger workforce. While that prepares the next generation of skilled workers, it doesn’t address the present need for certain skills. No amount of novice job creation can fill skills gaps.”

Department of Home Affairs and Department of Labour as Enablers to Creating Employment Opportunities

With the launch of the second phase of the Employment Stimulus, comes news from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) that it may no longer be able to process work permit applications for foreign nationals by waiving the required Department of Labour (DOL) certification. These waivers were previously accepted to expedite applications for foreign nationals who were urgently sought to fill positions left vacant by South Africans, especially those positions that are highly specialised and scarce but do not appear on the Critical Skills List.

Going forward, it appears the DHA will process General Work Visa applications but would need the requirements to have been met through the DOL first. This could intensify the disconnect that already exists between the two departments.

Not only is the DOL notoriously slow with the aforementioned application process, but they have been mandated to protect and create South African jobs, whereas the DHA has been mandated to enable business to attract and bring in foreign talent to fill skills gaps. This puts the two Departments at odds when it comes to combatting unemployment. While the employment stimulus rightly seeks to favour South Africans before employees abroad, this noble pursuit towards shrinking unemployment figures could retard the allocation of foreign nationals who can do the job right away.

The benefits to securing international talent with the necessary skills can be plentiful when considering how it can influence the local workforce through skills development and concession planning initiatives.

Adds Jacobs, “Hindering or delaying the foreign skills on offer can directly impact the rate at which the local workforce can engage with those skills. It is therefore essential that work permits or visas for skilled migrants be simplified for employers, so that the employment stimulus could enjoy the fruits of skill-sharing.”

The President can use the Employment Stimulus to drive cooperation between the Ministers of both Departments on the converging point where foreign skills and investments can be used to create domestic jobs, and in so doing, strike a balance at the juncture to enable the economy to propel forward.

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