These are the jobs that can get you a critical skills visa in SA

Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi has gazetted the skills or qualifications needed for a critical skills visa or permanent residence in South Africa.

A critical skills visa is not a work-seekers visa. All those who are applying must have an offer of employment from their employer that is verifiable, and have a good standing with the Department of Labour.

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University lecturers must specify the classification of their education subject matter. Engineering applicants need to be registered with a SAQA professional body as “candidates” and work under the supervision of a qualified professional, where applicable.

These are the jobs that can qualify you for a critical skills visa:

• Policy and planning manager
• Corporate general manager (medium enterprises or larger)
• Programme or project manager
• Quality systems manager
• Customer service manager (business process outsourcing sector
• Research and development manager
• Manufacturing operations manager
• Engineering manager
• Supply and distribution manager 
• Chief information officer
• Data management manager
• Environmental manager
• Call or contact the centre manager
• Physicist
• Climate change scientist
• Chemist
• Geologist
• Geophysicist
• Materials scientist
• Mineralogist
• Hydrologist
• Oceanographer
• Actuary
• General biologist
• Biotechnologist
• Microbiologist
• Zoologist
• Agricultural scientist
• Food and beverage scientist
• Conservation scientist
• Environmental scientist
• Industrial Engineer
• Industrial engineering technologist
• Civil engineer
• Civil engineering technologist
• Mechanical engineer
• Aeronautical engineer
• Aeronautical engineering technologist
• Naval architect
• Chemical engineer
• Chemical engineering technologist
• Mining engineer
• Metallurgist
• Biomedical engineer
• Quantity surveyor
• Agricultural engineering technologist
• Electrical engineering technologist
• Energy engineer
• Energy engineering technologist
• Electronics engineer
• Architect
• Urban and regional planner
• Multimedia designer
• Specialist nurse educator
• University Lecturer-senior lecturer
• FET phase school teacher(Grades 10-12) only STEM subjects
• Tax Professional
• External auditor
• Forensic accountant
• Investment Analyst
• Investment manager
• Investment advisor
• Business development officer
• Policy Analyst
• Corporate treasurer
• Organisational risk manager
• Internal Auditor
• Occupational instructor(air traffic space)
• Market reserach analyst
• ICT systems analyst
• Data scientist
• Software Developer
• Programmer Analyst
• Developer programmer
• Multimedia Specialist
• Applications programmer
• Computers quality assurance analyst
• Computer network and systems engineer
• Network analyst
• ICT security specialist
• Economist
• Chemistry technician
• Town planning technician
• Electronic engineering technician
• Mechanical engineering technician
• Draughtsperson
• Air traffic controller
• Inbound contact centre consultant(with first language speaking and translating capabilities in German, Swiss,Flemish,Greek, Swedish,Danish, Italian, Dutch, Spanish,Mandarin and French)
• Outbound contact centre consultant(with first language speaking and translating capabilities in German, Swiss,Flemish,Greek, Swedish,Danish, Italian, Dutch, Spanish,Mandarin and French)
• Air-conditioning and refrigeration mechanic
• Metal Machinist
• Millwright
• Mechatronics technician
• Lift mechanic
• Electrical equipment mechanic
• Transportation electrician
• Instrument Mechanician(Instrumentation and process control)
• Dentist- specialist community dentistry
• Dentist- specialist maxiollo and oral pathology
• Dentist- specialist maxiollo and oral surgery
• Dentist-specialist oral medicine and periodontics
• Dentist-specialist prosthodontics
• Medical practitioner- specialist anaesthesiology
• Medical practitioner- specialist cardiothoracic surgery
• Medical practitioner- specialist clinical pharmacology
• Medical practitioner – public health
• Medical practitioner- specialist dermatologyMedical practitioner- specialist diagnostic radiology
• Medical practitioner- specialist emergency medicine
• Medical practitioner- specialist neurology
• Medical practitioner- specialist neurosurgery
• Medical practitioner- a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology
• Medical practitioner- specialist ophthalmology
• Medical practitioner- specialist orthopaedics
• Medical practitioner- specialist otorhinolaryngology
• Medical practitioner- specialist paediatrics
• Medical practitioner- specialist pathology(anatomical)
• Medical practitioner- specialist pathology (chemical)
• Medical practitioner- specialist pathology (forensic)
• Medical practitioner- specialist pathology (haematological)
• Medical practitioner- specialist pathology (microbiological)
• Medical practitioner- specialist pathology(virological)
• Medical practitioner- specialist in plastic and reconstructive surgery
• Medical practitioner- specialist psychiatry
• Medical practitioner- specialist radiation oncology
• Medical practitioner- specialist surgery
• Medical practitioner- specialist urology
• Registered nurse- intensive/critical care nursing
• Registered nurse- mental health (psychiatric) nursing
• Registered nurse- peri-operative nursing(theatre technique)
• Registered nurse- emergency nursing (trauma)
• Registered nurse-child nursing
• Registered nurse- midwife
• Industrial pharmacist
• Veterinary Nurse

Read the document below to find out more about each job, minimum qualifications, and certification needed.

Critical skills work Visa 

Critical skills work Visas are issued for a period not exceeding five years and to apply for one you must submit the following:

• A duly completed application form signed by yourself, the applicant.
• A passport valid for no less than 30 days after the expiry of Payment of the prescribed fee.
• A vaccination certificate, if required by the Act.
• Proof of financial means to cover envisaged living expenses in the Republic until you receive a salary. This should be in the form of:
  • bank statements
  • cash available,
  • or travellers’ cheques
• A cash deposit equivalent to the value of a return or an undertaking from the employer
• Medical and radiology reports
• A police clearance certificate from each country in which you resided for 12 months or longer since the age of 18 years
• Proof of application for a certificate of registration with the accredited professional body, council or board recognized by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
• Proof of evaluation of the foreign qualification/s by SAQA translated by a sworn translator into one of the official languages of the Republic.
• Proof of employment within 12 months after obtaining a Critical skills work visa in the form of an employment contract specifying the occupation and capacity in which the foreigner shall be employed.