ft-Expect-a-backlog-in-work-visa-application-processing-for-foreigners-in-Africa

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.

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NEWS | STEADY STREAM OF FOREIGN NATIONALS RETURN TO WORK IN SOUTH AFRICA’S MINES

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The South African mining industry employs about 442 478 people, with 74% of employees back at work. About 7 090 employees have returned to South Africa from neighbouring countries, with 1 371 having returned from Mozambique, 5 229 from Lesotho, 468 from eSwatini and 22 from Botswana.

Employees who have yet to return to South Africa include 1 701 from Mozambique, 2 502 from Lesotho, 153 from eSwatini and 27 from Botswana. Once back in South Africa, Minerals Council environment, health and legacies senior executive Nikisi Lesufi says, the miners are transported to mine health infrastructure for testing and screening.

He adds that systems and procedures to assist the remaining number of mine employees from foreign countries to return to South Africa continue to improve, with previous border bottlenecks being eased. “Miners have arrived early at border posts and the quality of documentation they have has also improved significantly.”

Further, Lesufi says additional resources have been provided to the organisation assisting it with employee-related services, Teba, to improve and attend to all data requirements needed by immigration authorities.

Meanwhile, the domestic mining industry continues to maintain its increased Covid-19 testing rate, which currently stands at 9.92% of the overall population and accounts for 43 897 people being tested, uncovering a total of 12 617 positive cases. There are, as of August 20, 901 active positive cases and 140 deaths, while 11 576 mine-employed people having recovered. This compares with South Africa’s national average testing rate of 5.82% and a global average testing rate of 5.14% of a country’s population. In terms of cases and deaths regionally and by commodity, the North West province has the most cases, at 5 168, while it also has experienced the most deaths, at 49.

Mpumalanga is second, with 2 472 cases, followed by Limpopo with 1 626 cases, Gauteng with 1 493 cases, Free State with 1 151 cases, Northern Cape with 585 cases, KwaZulu-Natal with 112 cases and Western Cape with nine cases. In terms of the commodity most impacted, Minerals Council health head Thuthula Balfour points to platinum, followed by gold.

She says that, in fatal cases where comorbidities are known, 85.9% of these cases had one or more comorbidity.

Source: Mining Weekly

NEWS | MAURITIUS HAS BECOME MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR SOUTH AFRICANS LOOKING TO LIVE, WORK AND RETIRE

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“Skilled professionals and business owners with families in South Africa are taking note of Finance Minister Renganaden Padayachy’s changes and adjustments for foreigners. It is now easier to buy property, work, as well as retire on the island, which is appealing for many, including business owners, corporates  and families in South Africa who are looking for a new place to call home,” says Jacobs.

Extending retirement permits and lowering investment requirements

In the past, South African retirees were only able to obtain a three-year permit for Mauritius. This has been extended to ten years, with the requirement that the individual earns a recurring income of $1,500 per month. The amount can be paid annually, quarterly, or monthly, as long as it works out to $1,500 per month.

“The extension from three to ten years gives retirees more certainty about their future in the country. Mauritius’ Permanent Residence and Work Permits have been combined into a single permit and extended from ten to twenty years,” says Jacobs.

The minimum investment to obtain an Occupational Permit (OP) has also been halved from $100,000 to $50,000. The parents of an OP holder may now obtain a dependent permit to live in Mauritius. Professionals who are working as independent contractors can qualify for the self-employment permit. The requirement for this permit is a deposit of $35,000 into their Mauritian bank account, and this permit is also valid for ten years.

“Working professionals and self-employed individuals who want to move their spouse and aging parents find these concessions favourable, especially if their dependents are no longer working,” says Jacobs.

Property acquisition

Buying property is still a popular route of entry for those looking to move to Mauritius. In the past, foreign nationals were required to invest $500,000 in the property. This number has now been reduced to $375,000.

“The dispensation for owning property in Mauritius is far more flexible than in most other African countries. In Mauritius, a South African is allowed to purchase a property as a freehold, or through a 99-year lease agreement with the option of renewal,” says Jacobs.

The island boasts excellent private schools, reputable banking systems, regulatory certainty, technology-driven government systems, as well as an efficient and linear tax system.

“The effective tax rate of 15% for individuals are well below those applicable to South Africa and other countries. A significant difference is that Mauritian residents are only taxed to the extent of the money that they bring into the country. These financial incentives, combined with the close proximity to South Africa, will likely see more people moving to Mauritius in the future.


AUTHOR
Marisa Jacobs - Director
Marisa Jacobs
Director