South Africa: Permits Foundation’s Written Response to the Draft Second Amendment of the Immigration Regulations
16 April 2024On 29 March, Permits Foundation submitted a written response to the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa on the Draft Second Amendment of the Immigration Regulations.
Read the full submission here.
South Africa is viewed by the Permits Foundation network as a priority country. More than one third of our sponsors operate in South Africa. They include companies that are participating in the Trusted Employer Scheme.
In the response, the Foundation highlighted:
1. Our support for clearly available information and formalised rules around the rights of dependants of highly-skilled international employees, enabling them to:
- Move together and stay together as a family unit, and
- Change status without having to leave South Africa (e.g. in order to receive work authorisation).
2. Should the Department view the Digital Nomad Visa as an option to enable spouses/partners of Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) and Critical Skills Work Visa holders to work remotely while living in South Africa, we suggest that for these accompanying spouses/partners, the Digital Nomad Visa:
- Can be applied for in country,
- Has a duration co terminus with the employment permission of the principal applicant, or can be renewed in country for the same period,
- Has a lower minimum salary threshold than the proposed ZAR one million, and
- Includes safeguards that allow the spouse/partner to retain, or easily regain, family member status in country.
3. That a significant aspect of country attractiveness as a business destination is assurance pre-move that accompanying partners of ICTs and Critical Skills Work Visa holders may directly access employment while in the host country.
Permits Foundation’s prior submissions to the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Employment and Labour can all be found on the South Africa Page of our world map.
