Highest Response Rate Expected For 2022 Critical Skills Survey, Driven By Growing Skills Demand

Highest Response Rate Expected For 2022 Critical Skills Survey, Driven By Growing Skills Demand

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This is according to Marisa Jacobs, Managing Director at Xpatweb. The expatriate and visa services firm played a key role in shaping the latest Critical Skills List, contributing vital research and technical input during its development and final release.

Says Jacobs: “We are seeing unprecedented global events disrupting international markets and talent supply chains, leaving both risks and opportunities in their wake. So local employers must press for the List to be updated regularly to reflect emerging skills shortages that would be severely aggravated by visa denials.” This is on top of South Africa’s persistent exodus of qualified and experienced professionals, leaving to seek greener pastures abroad.

Xpatweb’s Annual Critical Skills survey gives employers the opportunity to be heard by policy makers and its data allows them to participate indirectly in shaping immigration legislation.

An authoritative reference

The survey was started in 2017 and this will be its fifth cycle, with the 2020/21 results being consolidated due to constraints caused by COVID-19.

However, the study came to prominence when its 2020/21 preliminary research findings were submitted to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) for consideration in drafting the latest national Occupations in High Demand (OIHD) list.

Consequently, the DHET invited Xpatweb to present these findings as part of an interdepartmental session between itself, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), the Department of Labour (DoL) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC). Notably, Xpatweb was the only private-sector entity to be afforded this privilege.

The OIHD list served as the basis for the 2020 national Critical Skills List and Xpatweb’s continued submissions ensured that several discarded critical skills were returned to the list before its final release in February 2022. This includes controversial omissions such as Corporate General Manager, certain Engineering occupations and Health Sector professions, which were consequently readded as a result of Xpatweb’s input.

“This milestone established the Critical Skills Survey Report as an authoritative reference for policy makers, businesses, analysts and other stakeholders, and its source data as an influencing force in moulding legislation,” says Jacobs. It also marks the Xpatweb team as a competent and reliable provider of relevant research and subject matter expertise.

The future of critical skills

Recent global events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit, conflict in the Ukraine, climate change, skyrocketing inflation and more, are testing even traditionally resilient economies. In addition, changing attitudes towards work, witnessed as the Great Resignation in the Northern Hemisphere, as well as a global skills crisis, are impacting the distribution and availability of critical talents.

“South African employers must act swiftly to attract scarce talent. They cannot afford to face visa barriers, propped up by an already ageing Critical Skills List,” says Jacobs.

She says her firm looks forward to a List that is systematically and organically amended to accommodate the rapidly changing critical skills supply chain. However, this would require that its custodians have access to a sufficient volume of meaningful data.

“Employers who participate in Xpatweb’s Critical Skills Survey are contributing to that body of data and effectively clearing the path for an evolving Critical Skills List that meets their current and emerging needs,” says Jacobs.

How to take part

It is more important than ever that critical skills employers take part in Xpatweb’s biggest Critical Skills Survey yet. The online survey launches on 31 August 2022 and will run until the end of October. Its results will be published in the company’s Critical Skills Survey Report 2022 once all the data has been correlated.

When the Critical Skills Survey goes live, Xpatweb will send an invitation to its database of opted-in participants and announce its availability on popular social networks, like LinkedIn and Facebook. However, anyone can take part by visiting www.xpatweb.com from the 31st of August.

“As the survey remains extremely relevant, we’re expecting an amazing turnout this year, and look forward to publishing our most informative Critical Skills Survey Report to date,” says Jacobs.

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Changes In The Previous Flexibility Afforded To Passport Applications And Collections For South Africans

Changes In The Previous Flexibility Afforded To Passport Applications And Collections For South Africans

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The announcement has come as a surprise to many and will surely hinder those who were accustomed to the past procedures

The new process

South African passport applicants are now urged to apply for and collect their passports themselves directly at Home Affairs, from the office where the application was submitted, this is done to protect the integrity of documents. During the collection process, passports will be activated by the applicant’s fingerprint which will be compared to a photo. Only parents or legal guardians can apply and collect for minors.

Emergency passports can only be issued at embassies to South Africans stranded abroad, typically the turnaround time for passport applications is anything between 5-12 days. It is advised that applicants make use of the online booking system and the department’s partnerships with the banks to avoid long queues.

The reason for the new changes

In the past months, there have been reports of cases of fraud and corruption involving passports, by high-profile officials.

The officials were arrested following fraudulent processing of passports to illegal immigrants, which foreigners were consequently caught using illegitimate South African passports abroad. To mitigate this, the Minister explained that passport collections will no longer be transferrable and third-party collections will no longer be permitted.

Additional changes

Additionally, the Minister announced that the department will be withdrawing the transit visa exemption for Bangladesh and Pakistan with immediate effect from the 01 August 2022 and travelers will now have to apply for a transit visa to come to South Africa.

These most recent developments, together with others that have taken place over the course of the last several months, make it quite evident that Home Affairs is adopting a policy of “zero-tolerance” with regard to fraud and corruption inside the Department.

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Dire Consequences For Non-Compliant Companies

Dire Consequences For Non-Compliant Companies

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One version is that the undocumented workers allegedly turned against the farmers during inspection claiming that they were working in the country against their free will.

Xpatweb hosted a Global Mobility Conference on 30th June and were honoured to host Mr. Ben Makhalemele the Deputy Director of Corporate Accounts at the Department of Home Affairs, as the Keynote Address. Whilst he touched on various pressing issues, one of the topics that stood out was the issue surrounding companies ensuring that they are compliant with the Immigration Act and its Regulations.

He highlighted that with recent developments and a push from Government to oust all illegal immigrants from South Africa, Department of Labour, along with Home Affairs have been conducting increasing inspections on companies to ensure Immigration compliance. He explained that it was the employer’s responsibility to ensure that their employees were in possession of legally obtained work visas. He confirmed that the Department is taking a “no-mercy” stance and cautioned all employers, that should they be found to have foreign workers without the necessary work visa, the company will be fined and both the owner/CEO of the company as well as the Head of HR, may face criminal charges and imprisonment.

There were questions hereon from HR executives at the conference, as employers have to rely on employees to provide the correct paperwork, as they themselves were not “experts” in immigration matters. Mr. Makhalemele noted that as a company and HR who hire foreign labour, you are expected to know what is required by the Government with regards to legally compliant visas and that “ignorance” of the law is not an excuse. He specifically referred section 49(3) of the Immigration Act and which criminalises the employment of illegal foreigners and comes with arrest for the HR executive and imprisonment of up to 5 years.

Business should take note that, that any person found on your premises, whether formally employed by you or working as a contractor, is deemed to be your responsibility.

Mr. Makhalemele implored the companies to seek out assistance with this matter, should they not have the relevant knowledge or experience to ensure that the company is compliant.

When Xpatweb does a compliance audit for employers, there is a specific set of documentation which can be independently verified as valid and compliant. This not only protects the employer against prosecution, but also allows proactive steps to be taken in cases of non-compliance.

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More Skills Added To The Critical Skills List

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Previous Exclusion of Skills

The list gazetted in February saw an exclusion of medical professionals despite the shortages we face within South Africa.

As such, there was a massive backlash from various regulatory bodies, as well as medical professionals who already are working in South Africa under the previous 2014 list, in addition to those completing their studies and ready to move on to employment. Many felt that they had studied, worked and placed their lives on the line during COVID times for the country and felt it in bad taste that they were then not able to move on to a Critical Skills Work Visa from a Study Visa, renew their current Critical Skills Work Visas or apply for Permanent Residency.

What does the new list include?

The revised list hosts additions that are predominantly focused on the medical and health practitioner’s field. These skills are related to professionals who either treat or prevent illnesses, diseases and/or injuries. These practitioners specialise in certain disease categories or research within their chosen areas of specialisation.

HASA (The Hospital Association of South Africa) issued a statement that the nurse shortages in South Africa placed a hefty burden on the current nursing professionals during the Covid-19 pandemic, whereby there was an increase in the deterioration of working conditions.

Amongst other occupations, the following is now included in the revised list:

  • Dentists – specialising in community dentistry, maxillofacial and oral pathology and maxillofacial and oral surgery
  • Medical practitioners – specialising in anaesthesiology, cardiothoracic surgery, clinical pharmacology and public health, and paediatrics.
  • Pharmacist – including industrial pharmaceuticals.
  • Registered Nurses – including critical care nurses, midwives, and childcare nurses.

What happens next?

To combat the shortages within these fields, HASA has called out to the private medical sector and various bodies regulating the profession to fully utilise any skilled workers who qualify for a visa based on these professions to ensure functioning medical services provided to the people of South Africa.

If you require assistance and would like to understand your options regarding the new updated list, or to take up employment within South Africa, email us at contact@xpatweb.com

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Mobility And Tax Changing Practices

Mobility And Tax Changing Practices

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During the discussion, it became clear that, the dichotomy for business between flexible mobility and the need to comply with tax in multiple countries may be one of the factors in non-compliance.

Changes to the way we work are happening faster than ever before and businesses need to keep up to survive. A new model is emerging, where staff with critical skills may be based anywhere in the world. This pressure to mobilise employees increases the challenge of managing fast-changing government requirements in areas such as tax, social security, and immigration law. Our experienced team has global reach and can ensure both employer and employee remain compliant.

In an increasingly globalised world, companies need to have access to the right people at the right time, wherever they are in the world. These days, having a global footprint can often mean moving the task to the worker rather than moving the worker to the task. This flexibility is key to success but achieving it means overcoming the complexity of managing teams in multiple locations.

Since the Covid pandemic, the mobility landscape has changed immensely where the following trends have been identified:

  1. On average companies have repatriated 1/3 staff temporarily/permanent during the pandemic.
  2. Technology systems helped companies weather the storm better – it has been a lifeline during the pandemic to assist business to continue as normal.
  3. There is an increased need to track whereabouts of expats – this further impacts compliance for tax, social security & payroll.
  4. Most organisations have realized the need to changes mobility programmes, policies and processes.
  5. A drive in the mobility sphere towards automation, expatriates have worked remotely but costs in the spotlight with the need to be reduced significantly.
  6. There has been a reduction in assignment numbers, but this is starting to regain some traction.
  7. Assignment numbers will take time to recover.

Key highlights include incorporating a Mobility Cost Calculator with technology as a focus being the forefront:

  • Costs are a key focus, and most mobility professionals are looking at ways at cutting costs.
  • Mobility Cost Calculator is pivotal to determine reasonable cost estimates of an assignee for informed decision-making purposes.
  • This calculator may include the following key components:
    – Employee Salary Build Up Calculation
    – Employer Total Assignment Cost
    – Tax Gross Up & Social Security Contributions

Recently, we noticed fundamental changes to business treatment of mobile workers, thanks to the increasing ability to work remotely, ease of travel, and pressure to save costs. While, traditionally, businesses were prepared to second senior employees to another country for a long-term assignment, this type of package is now being reconsidered.

The ease and changing nature of specifically business travel is a predominant mobility issue. Companies need to incorporate business travel management in their definition of mobility. Any business seeking to be at the forefront of talent-mobility alignment can’t afford to think of tax and immigration in isolation. Those that manage these issues in tandem, while continuing to monitor and adjust their global mobility footprint — putting the right people in the right place — are those positioning themselves for success.

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