How to secure a work visa for your foreign workers

How difficult is it really to obtain a work visa for a foreign skilled employee? In truth, extremely easy if you know what you need and how to go about it – but near impossible if you are inexperienced. Here are some expert tips to help: Don’t lie When an employee comes to render employment services in South Africa, make sure they get a valid short-term work visa. Do not tell the immigration official this is only a business trip, when the purpose is work. It is easy to be compliant and not worth the risk. The process takes 10 working days and the short-term visa is issued for three months, while it may be extended in South Africa for a further three months. New foreign boss? Don’t stress Getting a new boss from overseas is stressful enough, let alone making them think you are not competent in sorting out their work permit status and the family’s residency permits. Luckily, the intra-company transfer work visa is one of the quickest visas to obtain. Just make sure you understand the rules and requirements as one piece of incorrect guidance or supporting document, can put you back to square one. These take two months to obtain.

When you need that critical and rare skilled employee

What to you do when you do not have an important skill that you need? There are some in the market, but you just do not have the budget to attract them?

The critical skill work visa category is attractive for the employer and expatriate. The employer gains a competitive edge, as the visa is issued for the employer; while this category gives the expatriate the right to qualify in time for permanent residency in SA. One can rightly call this a winwin. A crucial mistake Stay away from the general work permit categories, except where you have a very large expatriate programme. This category has become virtually unobtainable. You will be promised an effective process, but after countless deadliness, you will still have no traction.