IMPACT – HIGH

What is the change? South Africa released a draft of a new critical skills list on Thursday.

What does the change mean? The list designates occupations deemed critical to the economy and for which high-skilled foreign workers may be granted Critical Skills Visas. Employers and other stakeholders have until March 31 to offer their comments on the draft lists.

  • Implementation time frame: Between now and March 31.
  • Visas/permits affected: Critical Skills Visas.
  • Who is affected: Employers and other stakeholders.
  • Business impact: The critical skills list affects which occupations companies are eligible to recruit foreign workers to fill without the need for labor market testing. Businesses have long advocated for a broader list to address labor shortages.
  • Next steps: Responses to the list can be submitted by email, telephone, in person or by post.

Additional Information: The critical skills list has not been updated since 2014. The draft of the new list is more expansive than the 2014 list and includes more than 125 jobs across a number of economic sectors, including information technology, financial services, healthcare, construction, higher education and the arts. The draft list also includes details on recommended minimum NQF levels for different professions and, in some cases, lists the applicable professional licensing body.

Analysis & Comments: While details are not yet available on when the finalized list will come into effect or how changes will affect current Critical Skills Visa holders, in our view the draft list vast improvement compared to the current list. Employers or other stakeholders interested in providing feedback on the draft list are encouraged to work closely with Deloitte in drafting a response. Deloitte will continue following the development of a new critical skills list closely, and will provide updates as information becomes available.

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