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The South African Department of Home Affairs that issues business and work permits has announced new quotas.
This is designed to reflect the skills shortages that may be filled by immigrants that plan to to relocate in South Africa.
Business permit allocation
South Africa understands the need to protect industry and commerce has a connection to the required skills in demand, more so now with the huge investment occurring in South Africa for the 2010 world cup.
While South Africa has a first class education system and reliable labor force, it is recognised that in a few avocations a lack of qualifications exist. To aid the immigration development in the work permit category the Department of Home Affairs periodically reviews which professions are required and produces a quota work permit list. This list allows immigrants to apply for a quota work permit which means the potential immigrant can consider a work permit before getting an offer of employment, effectively simplifying the entire application process.
What skills are in demand?
After lengthy discussion with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and feedback from the major South African companies, Home Affairs released the current list of scant occupations in 2007. Potential immigrants looking for jobs in these occupations may apply for permits enabling them to live and work in South Africa.
Notably and reflecting the reality of economic growth in South Africa the Department of Home Affairs concentrates on technical and engineering professions. In fact any Industrial engineer qualifies automatically, but it is well worth a look at the employees in demand in detail.
Because public and private investments in municipal projects foreigners with relevant skills in the construction industry are most sought after. Included in the quota occupations are CAD technicians, Draftsperson, Structural Engineers, Civil Engineers, Civil engineering technicians and technologists. In the manufacturing professions the Department of Home Affairs requires quotas for occupations such as Hydraulics and Pneumatics Technicians, Mechanical Engineers, Quality Engineers and Inspectors, Pipeline Engineers, Refrigeration Engineer, Manufacturing Technicians, Mechanical Draughtsperson and Technicians. In the aeronautic industry immigrants with qualifications such as Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, Avionics Engineers and Aeronautical Engineers are invited to consider the quota work permit. In the electronics sector, South Africa needs staff that are experienced as Mechatronics Technicians, Electronic Engineers, Electronics Technicians, Autotronics and Electromechanical Technicians. Recently Home Affairs also included certain craftsman which can apply for immigration such as precision metal workers, fitters and turners, toolmakers, boilermakers, coded welders and millwrights.
In other areas the Department has observed the value of BPO for economic stability and has included Call Centre and Contact Centre Managers in the quota system too. In the information and organisation professionals notably jobs for risk assessors, actuaries, statisticians, and economists are obtainable for quota professions.
The mining sector is of value for the South African economy. This is demonstrated by Home Affairs as it offers immigrants in the professions Mining Engineering, Geologists, Geophysicists and Earth Science Technicians the ability to have work and residence permits.
Other industrial skills covered are forestry and agriculture, biotechnology, pharmacology, astronomy, the chemical industry and food technology. South Africa seems to be experiencing a lack of talent in Maths and Science Teachers and Jewellery Makers.
Home Affairs will check if the proposed immigrant has the right skills and experience as well as five years of work experience before granting the quota work permit for South Africa.
