The South African general work visa is open to foreign nationals who do not qualify for any other South African work visa, but who still wants to live and work in South Africa.
What is allowed under a general work visa?
Foreign nationals with a general work visa can work in any job in South Africa, but they would need a job offer before they can apply for their visa.
What are the main criteria of a South African general work visa?
As mentioned above, any foreign national who wish to apply for a general work visa must have a job offer in order to do so. From the employer’s side, they must be able to prove that they could not find a South African citizen or permanent resident to fill the position as advertised.
Important documentation that should be included with the application are:
- The job offer.
- SAQA confirmation of the applicant’s qualifications.
- The applicant’s CV.
Temporary residency
The South African general work visa is valid for between 2 and 4 years. Applications for extensions can be made.
Permanent residency
Foreign nationals must apply for temporary residency before applying for permanent residency. In order to be eligible for permanent residency, the applicant need to have temporary residency of 5 years with an unbroken employment record.
Find out if you qualify for a South African general work visa
The first step towards obtaining a general work visa is determining whether you are eligible for this visa category. To do so, simply complete our online assessment and one of our consultants will be in contact to discuss your eligibility.
If you’d prefer to speak to someone without doing the assessment, you can give us a call on either +27 (0) 21 424 2460 for our Cape Town office, or on +27 (0) 11 234 4275 for our Johannesburg office. Alternatively, request a free call back and one of our consultants will contact you instead.
Why should Intergate be your South African immigration partner?
Our achievements speak for themselves. Since our inception in 2005, Intergate’s team have processed more than 9 000 visa and visa related queries. In addition to this, we are the only immigration company in South Africa that has managed to achieve ISO 9001 certification year after year.
Last, but not least, is the fact that each of our dedicated immigration consultants are qualified and registered. There is no-one better to guide your through your immigration to South Africa.