Navigating the various work visa applications is quite tricky. Individuals and HR professionals assisting employees in applying for their work visas often face lengthy qualifying criteria and a complex application process that can be difficult to get right the first time around.
Businesses looking to hire talent from outside South Africa are optimistic about the department of home affairs introduction of a Trusted Employer Scheme to make the process easier, but are frustrated by current backlogs in the work visa system.
Updates to the South African immigration sphere, including the new visa concession, continued backlog worries, and the extension of the validity of Zimbabwean Exemption permits have left many businesses and foreign nationals uncertain about how best to navigate the visa application process.
The delays for foreign nationals getting their visas are well-known due to the Department of Home Affairs backlog. But what are your options when you sit with a poor Home Affairs decision and where your visa was rejected for no good reason?
On 8 June 2023, the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, announced the extension of the validity of Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) to 31 December 2023. This welcomed decision provides some relief for nearly 180,000 ZEP holders whose futures remained unclear but a few days ago.
