Finally, the long-awaited critical skills list was officially gazetted and has taken effect from 1 February 2022.
What does this mean for you as a new applicant?
- The previous 2014 list is no longer applicable
- For any new applications starting from 1 February 2022, the new list will be used
- There is no longer the 12-month critical skills visa to seek employment, one needs to apply for the visa from the onset with an offer of employment
- If you currently have a 12 month-visa to look for employment, confirmation of employment must be in line with the new 2022 critical skills list
What does this mean for you as an applicant with a pending application?
- If your application is still in process, and was submitted before 31 January 2022, it will be adjudicated based on the list that was applicable at the time of submission, that is, the 2014 list
- If you had prepared but not yet submitted your application, it must now comply with the 2022 list, if you still do qualify for the critical skills visa under the new list
What about permanent residency?
- Any new applications for permanent residency must comply with the new critical skills list
- If your visa was issued in terms of the old 2014 list, you may still apply for permanent residency.
NB: However, although stipulated in the Directive, this is still a point of discussion and further information will be provided.
Few tips – How to ensure qualification and compliance for a critical skills visa application
1. Qualification level
- Ensure that your qualification meets the minimum qualification required. These are indicated on the critical skills list
- If you have a foreign qualification which was evaluated a few years back, you may need to have your qualification re-evaluated/verified by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) to ensure that it is evaluated at the correct and current NQF Level
2. Professional membership
- Membership with the correct professional body is mandatory, ensure to register with the correct professional body
- The list now indicates some of the professional bodies required for each category
3. Employment offer
When applying for the visa, or any visa in SA, one cannot have a permanent offer of employment since you have a limited visa and can therefore not have a permanent offer whilst on a limited stay in SA.
Therefore, ensure that:
- Your offer is for a fixed-term and correctly drafted
- Your job title and profile match the category you are applying for as per the critical skills list. The new list now clearly gives the description of the skills, therefore, ensure that your job profile aligns to the category you are applying for the visa
Detailed information regarding the new list and its implementation will be shared in the upcoming days.
Useful information:
New Critical Skills List:
http://www.dha.gov.za/images/notices/Gazetted_Critical_Skills_List_2022-compressed.pdf
Implementation of the new Critical Skills List:
Should you wish to know if you still qualify for a critical skills visa, or are affected in any way by the changes, please feel free to reach out to us. Complete the quick assessment form below:
