Compass Migration

27/05/2024

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has highlighted a need to look at reworking spousal visa protocols as they continue to contributed to a backlog at the department more so than any other visa category.

The minister said about 90% of the visas in their backlog are applications for relative visas and spousal visas, and this needs looking at.

Motsoaledi described a “conundrum” of having to check that just about every spouse who applies is indeed legally married to the South African citizen.

“Unfortunately, we are reaching a situation were spouses are created where they don’t exist.” he said, explaining this includes couples who go to notary generals to write a contract that they are staying together as partners, and then taking that to Home Affairs to apply for spousal visas.

“But when we send immigration officers to visit such families they never find a spouse.”

Motsoaledi said critical skills, general work and business visas generally do not see a backlog.

However, another problem Home Affairs experiences is waiting for proof of verifications from employers before issuing work visas.
Director General Livhuwani Tommy Makhode said there is a project team working to clear the visa backlog.

In fact, the turnaround time of critical skills visas has been shortened from eight weeks to about four weeks, he said.
“We have also had an offer from the private sector that wants to come and assist and we are working on the modalities with regards to that,” Makhode said.

Should you require assistance in following up on your Pending Application, feel free to contact us on [email protected] or +27 (0) 63 871 3527

26/03/2024

ATTENTION ALL LEP HOLDERS

LEP’s have now been extended for a further period of 12 (twelve) months up until 29 November 2024. This is to allow the holders thereof to apply for an extension of their current permits. The new permits to be issued will be valid until 29 November 2025.

The Holder of a valid exemption permit will be allowed to freely enter and depart the Republic of South Africa.

The Minister has urged all LEP holders to take advantage of this extension and apply for their new LEP permits through VFS Global.

The above decision to extend the ZEP and LEP permits comes as the Department of Home Affairs has indicated their intent on appealing the ruling by the High Court in Pretoria to the Supreme Court of Appeal. The judgment required him to go back to the drawing board on the ZEP’s and found his decision to terminate ZEP’s unconstitutional. The Minister had stated that both LEP’s and ZEP’s had to be dealt with and treated equally in order keep both exemption permits consistent with what the Department of Home Affairs is doing.

For further Assistance & Inquiries Contact : [email protected] or phone 021 012 5133/ 0847724137

26/03/2024

ATTENTIION ALL ZEP HOLDERS

ZEP’s have now been extended for a further period of 12 (twelve) months up until 29 November 2024. This is to allow the holders thereof to apply for an extension of their current permits. The new permits to be issued will be valid until 29 November 2025.

However, Individuals who had applied for waivers or other visas do not need to apply for new permits, as their current status would remain protected and are exempted from having to apply for a new exemption permit while awaiting the outcome of their applications.

Based on the data available, approximately 88 500 current ZEP holders have applied for waivers or other visas provided for in terms of the Immigration Act. This would mean that the directive directly applies to approximately 89 500 current ZEP Holders.

For those who did not apply for waivers, the Minister emphasized that there is no alternative available. He pointed out that the opportunity to apply for a mainstream visa has been extended multiple times, and he urged all affected Zimbabwean nationals to take advantage of the current window to apply for a mainstream visa. We echo the minister’s statement and encourage all ZEP holders to apply for a mainstream visa before 31 December 2023 as it is the only route to Permanent Residency. Should any ZEP holders not opt for this route, they will be required to apply for a new ZEP permit in order to remain legal within the Republic of South Africa


For any inquiries Contact : [email protected] or phone 021 021 5133/ 084 772 4137

22/02/2024

*Latest Updates to South African Immigration*

Leading up to SONA 2024, the South African government has published a gazette of immigration changes, notably including the introduction of a South African Digital Nomad Visa.

Introduction to the New Draft Regulations
On February 8th, the South African government published draft amendments to the immigration regulations, involving a public comment period in March followed by the normal legislative process. While these amendments are not yet law, they provide valuable insights into the potential future of immigration in South Africa.

*Key Changes and Clarifications*

Police Clearance Certificates: The draft stipulates that police clearance is only needed for the last five years of residence, formalising what has been in practice for a year.

Medical Certificates: A significant change is the removal of the requirement for direct radiological reports, streamlining the medical clearance process.

Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents: The draft confirms the longstanding practice allowing spouses and children of South African permanent residents or citizens to change their status within the country.

Parents of South African Children: A notable clarification is that foreign parents of South African children can now change their status within South Africa, a decision influenced by constitutional court rulings.

*Point-Based System for Work Visas*

The draft introduces a point-based system for all work visas under section 19, including ICTs and critical skills visas. This system will assess applicants based on factors such as language skills, qualifications, age, and skills.
However, there are concerns over the vague criterion of “ability to adapt in the Republic,” which could lead to subjective decision-making.

*Digital Nomad Visa*

A new category for digital nomads or remote workers has been introduced.
Here are the key points and takeaways:
• 3-year duration: although this number is unclear in the draft regulations, if it is indeed the case, South Africa’s Digital Nomad Visa will be incredibly competitive compared to its European counterparts.
• No international medical aid requirement: you will still require a medical certificate.
• Need to earn a minimum of R1,000,000 per annum: it is not clear if this is gross or net, but we assume net. Either way, this may be a little steep.
• Family can come with you: this makes the Digital Nomad Visa an attractive offering for those wanting to relocate to sunny South Africa.
• After 6 months of staying in South Africa on the Digital Nomad Visa, you are required to register with SARS.
One-Year Critical Skills Visa
The draft regulations propose a one-year critical skills visa requiring a job offer and proof of application for professional registration. Professional body delays often slowed down or entirely halted Critical Skills applications, so this is a welcome change.

*Conclusion*

The draft regulations represent a step forward in South African immigration policy, aligning with court decisions and public needs. While not final, these amendments indicate a positive trajectory, with room for public input.
The inclusion of digital nomad visas and the point-based system for work visas are particularly noteworthy developments.

For a Free Assessment on your Eligibility, do feel free to contact us directly or at [email protected] or [email protected]

16/01/2024

The Department of Home Affairs has yet again issued a last-minute reprieve, extending a blanket concession for long-term visa or waiver applicants awaiting decisions on their applications. This decision was communicated just 9 days before the expiration of the previously granted extension. The delay in the announcement had left many nervous, as many feared that they would have been required to depart South Africa by 31 December 2023

The decision means visa applicants are permitted to legally remain in South Africa until the end of the year, pending the finalisation of their applications. Those travelling on passports issued by countries that are not visa-exempt, are required to apply for a visitor’s visa to return to South Africa until their applications have been finalised.
Had this not been issued, more than 56,000 businesspeople, foreign staff and other international residents, who have been unable to formalise their settlement plans in South Africa due to the department’s red tape and applications backlog spanning more than a decade, would have been forced to leave the country – or risk deportation

*THE DIRECTIVE ISSUED BY THE DHA INTRODUCES THE BELOW MEASURES WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT* :

1. For foreign nationals awaiting outcomes on their waiver applications:
Visa holders with pending waiver applications as at 30 November 2023, will receive a temporary extension until 30 June 2024. This extension allows the DHA to process their applications and enables applicants to receive their decisions and apply for appropriate visas. Visa holders who need to travel but are awaiting the outcome of a waiver application, will be allowed to exit and re-enter South Africa at a port of entry up to and including 30 June 2024, without being declared undesirable. However, applicants from countries that are not visa exempt who travel out of South Africa with a waiver application receipt, are required to apply for a port of entry visa which would allow them re-entry into South Africa.

2. For foreign nationals whose visa applications are still pending:
Long-term visa holders (for work, business, study, relatives, and accompanying spouses) whose applications remain pending as of 30 November 2023, will be granted a temporary extension until 30 June 2024, meaning maintaining their current visa status. However, these foreign nationals are restricted from engaging in any activities beyond those permitted by their existing visa conditions. Visa holders who need to travel but are awaiting the outcome of a long-term visa application, will be allowed to exit and re-enter South Africa at a port of entry up to and including 30 June 2024, without being declared undesirable. However, applicants from countries that are not visa exempt who travel out of South Africa with a long-term visa application receipt, are required to apply for a port of entry visa which would allow them re-entry into South Africa.

3. For foreign nationals whose appeal applications are still pending:
Visa holders who have appealed a negative decision on an application for a long term visa will receive a temporary extension until 30 June 2024. Visa appeal applicants who need to travel but are awaiting the outcome of an appeal application for a long-term visa, will be allowed to exit and re-enter South Africa at a port of entry up to and including 30 June 2024, without being declared undesirable. Applicants from countries that are not visa exempt who travel out of South Africa with an appeal application receipt, are required to apply for a port of entry visa which would allow them re-entry into South Africa. All appeal applicants are required to produce a copy of the rejection letter with a receipt for the appeal application on departure and re-entry into South Africa.

4. For short-term visa holders with visas valid for less than 90 days:
Short term visa holders who have applied for a renewal of their visa but have not receive the renewal outcome by 23 February 2024, will be required to make the necessary arrangements to depart from South Africa on or before 29 February 2024.

The above measures only apply to foreign nationals that have been legally admitted into South Africa and who have submitted an application via VFS Global on or before 30 November 2023
Should you require any assistance or additional clarity, do feel free to contact

[email protected] / 0638713527

05/09/2022

This week we see the Department of Immigration backtracking on an earlier Directive which centralised all visa processing to Pretoria taking the decentralised processing of applications away from missions abroad. The earlier Directive did not take long to cause massive backlogs and public outcry due to applicants of all visa categories waiting up to 4 times longer for their applications to be adjudicated. The backlog also negatively affected companies who needed to bring in skilled foreign workers but were battling with the lead times which disrupted their ability to operate. The correction of the policy by the Department is most welcome.

The second major change is the expiry of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits which has been extended for a further 6 months allowing ZEP holders more time to apply for other visa categories. This too is welcome however we would like to see the laws relaxed so ZEP holders can move to other work permits more easily taking into account that they have been living and working in South Africa for over a decade and would have been eligible for Permanent Residency after 5 years of being on any other work permit.

South Africa and most countries in the world are competing for skilled labour. South Africa is losing far more skilled workers to emigration than the education system is creating therefore the strategy of the Department of Home Affairs should be to attract and retain skilled labour as opposed to cover the route to contribute to the South African economy in exorbitant red tape. In conclusion what is evident is that this is a skilled workers world where there is a growing amount of opportunities without borders.

29/08/2022

We are hiring! Compass Migration is looking for an experienced Case Manager. Applicant must have experience processing South African Visa's. If you are interetsed in the position please email your C.V to [email protected].

17/08/2022

As predicted the South African Department of Home Affairs has back peddled on some of the changes made in February to the Immigration Act. Medical Professionals were removed from the list in February and have subsequently been added to the list again. Damage has already been done to the industry as many potential and current medical professionals looking to work in S.A or who are already working in S.A have decided to take their skills offshore exacerbating the critical shortages in healthcare.

We can hope for further backpaddling by the Department on the high NQF requirements put on the majority of other occupation groups which knock out the vast majority of skilled professionals as well as reinstating the 12 month critical skills visa which does not require a job offer allowing graduates and interested applicants to look for employment for a 12 month period.

As the end of the year approaches another change which has been the States decision to not renew the ZEP permits for the legal Zimbabwean nationals who have resided in S.A legally for over a decade is something we are watching closely. As a Company and as South African citizens we are hoping that the Government either scraps this pending humanitarian crisis or provides relaxed routes for ZEP holders to move to other visa categories. As always the best interests of the economy and the people who drive it is our greatest motivator so we are continuously working hard for our skilled migrants, ZEP holders and international families.

27/06/2022

As the halfway mark of the year closes in we can recap on a few major changes to the South African Immigration system thus far. The State announced at the beginning of the year that it would not be extending the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits which had been granted and renewed for Zimbabwean migrants since 2009. The visa allowed migrants who had fled Zimbabwe's economic collapse to work, study or open businesses. 250 000 Zimbabweans took the opportunity to legalise their stay in SA and began contributing meaningfully to the South African economy. Their children entered South African Schools, many have since finished their schooling and furthered their studies. They started businesses, purchased property and many have built careers only for the Government to now target them for following the law and contributing to the economy. There are millions of undocumented or false asylum claimants in South Africa, but the State has chosen to target the 250 000 legal Zimbabwean nationals who if they were on any other visa category would by now have attained Permanent Residency Status.

The other major change was the overhauling of the Critical Skills Shortage list which saw the removal of all medical professions in a country that has massive critical shortages and that plans to nationalise healthcare. The other major change was prescribing higher NQF levels for occupations which have remained on the list as well as scrapping the 12-month period which would allow talented individuals to seek employment for a year. We also saw the scrapping of the post graduate route to residency which attracted foreign students to South African Universities and helped retain their skills once they graduated.

We have seen the above changes create a vacuum for companies trying to attract skills due to the legislation changes blocking foreign talent from entering the country. The knock-on pressure on the already strained economy has also revealed a greater interest in job placements abroad as South African talent looks for greener pastures. What we can look forward to in hope is that the State back peddles on its destructive anti-skills and anti-growth policies but until then we will be relentlessly assisting our Zimbabwean clients to move to other visa categories, and we will continue to engage with the public to bring awareness to the current issues.

20/04/2022

Calling all nurses!

28/03/2022

Calling all Electrical Engineers in the renewable energy space!

Job Alert!! Calling all Electrical Engineers in the renewable energy space!

Please see specs below and email [email protected] if you are interested:

Mission:

Lead and manage the Firefly’s O&M business areas to optimally operate and maintain renewable energy generation assets in South Africa.
Leads and manages the company and its Maintenance Services, ensuring a safe operation.
Ensure the Maintenance Services provided to internal and external clients meets all policies, procedures, contracts and regulations.
Ensure highly motivated work environment and provide guidance to help others strengthen their skills.

Responsibilities:

Develop and maintain positive relationships with internal stakeholders, clients, suppliers and contractors.
Main point of contact with Eskom and applicable authorities.
Manage reports to external stakeholders.
Maintain safe working practices and compliance with regulation.
Develop and implement the growth and development of the section, in line with business objectives.
Influence and works with other sections of the business to develop the operations and maintenance of generation assets.
Maximize availability, production and revenue from generation assets on behalf of asset owners.
Ensure that a strong working relationship is maintained with Head companies with respect to common processes and procedures.
Ensure a continuous improvement culture is maintained within the production business area.
Manage and lead the Maintenance Services section, including the budget thereof
Develop a culture of safety and quality.
Ensure the services provided are conducted safely and meet legislation, regulation, policy and procedures.
Guarantee compliance with all contractual obligations.
Ensure that records are stored and kept correctly.
Report on safety, technical, budget, contractual and resource issues.
Proven communication ability, specifically for report writing and presentation.
Works closely with the Financial Manager and the site managers.
Oversee day-to-day operations and performance goals ensuring their completion.
Recruit and train employees to meet the company targets.
Delegate responsibilities to the chain on command while enforcing all company policies and procedures.

Required profile:

Electrical Engineering Degree, GCC (OHS Act), ECSA Registered
MBA
Valid driver’s license
Clear criminal and credit record
Must have a proactive approach
Excellent negotiation skills
Excellent communication and problem-solving skills
Ability to motivate and lead people holding employees accountable.
Excellent delegation skills
Languages/Level: English

Years/Areas experience required: 5 years proven managerial experience within wind/solar energy environment.
Must be able to travel within South Africa and abroad.

15/03/2022

For all the I.T Professionals out there :)

We are looking for I.T Professionals for clients based in the E.U and United Kingdom for remote working positions as well as permanent placements. Please email your C.V's to [email protected]

15/03/2022

For all the qualified teachers out there :)

We are seeking the following candidates for job placements in the U.A.E and U.SA:

Foundation Phase Teachers with a Degree

Secondary and Intermediate Phase Teachers with a Degree, must teach maths and science.

Please email your C.V to [email protected]

04/02/2022

Some good news regarding the new Critical Skills List this week is that the following occupations have been added to the list in the field of education:

- University Lecturer (must have a Doctorate)
- Senior Phase School Teacher (grades 8-9 STEM subjects only)
- FET Phase School Teacher (grades 10-12 STEM subject only)
- Nurse Educator

This will come as a relief to many educators who have been unable to attain long term work visas and who will now have a route to residency going forward. If you would like a free assessment of your eligibilty please follow the following link so we can assist you: https://compassmigration.co.za/free-assessment/

03/02/2022

More destructive policy decisions by the Department of Home Affairs:

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has shown his absolute incompetence in his move to cancel the route to residency for international students who graduate from South African Universities in fields of critical skills shortages. Firstly this will reduce the demand for international students in particular from across the African continent to study at our Universities and secondly it will further exasperate the massive skills shortages that the country is experiencing. https://compassmigration.co.za/free-assessment/

Cadre deployment by the governing party seems to keep producing hogwash policies that simply erode the quality of our society. People are put into positions who seem to have zero understanding of economics and who place political ideology ahead of practical needs. To kick off the past few months the Home Affairs Minister first cancelled the special dispensation visa’s which hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans have been using to legally reside in South Africa for over a decade basically forcing them to become illegal immigrants by the end of this year. These are people who have followed the law to reside legally in South Africa since their country was destroyed by the corrupt dictatorship of Robert Mugabe and has not improved due to continued State delinquency resulting in above 80% unemployment rate contrary to the cooked figure of 5% which the State publishes. Inflation in Zimbabwe is also wide ranging due to the constant collapsing of their worthless currency in short it’s a near impossible economy to survive in hence the economic migrants who have built lives in South Africa and have contributed to our economy legally under the special dispensation visa’s which have now abruptly been pulled from under their feet by the Minister. Secondly the Minister has now also cancelled the route to residency for international students who graduate in fields of critical skills shortages so we can retain their skills once they have earned their qualifications. The Minister is so short sighted that he hasn’t at least replaced the route with for example a post graduate work permit allowing graduates 24 months to seek employment in their respective fields which would be acceptable, instead he has simply embarked on a policy to boot these graduates out of the country kicking out all their potential contributions out with them. https://compassmigration.co.za/free-assessment/

We can only describe the first few moves this year by Aaron Motsoaledi as inhumane, xenophobic and grossly incompetent. As a company we stand in solidarity with all of the affected people and will work diligently to assist them as best we can unlike our Government who are currently blind to the human potential they are so arrogantly dismissing. https://compassmigration.co.za/free-assessment/

08/12/2021

Update on Zimbabwean ZEP Permits:

“South Africa’s Director-General of Home Affairs, Livhuwani Tommy Makhode, issued a directive on Monday the 29th of November regarding updates concerning the outgoing ZEP. The Immigration Directive No 10 of 2021 repeats the Cabinet decision regarding the withdrawal of ZEPs, along with information around the 12-month grace period.

According to the third paragraph of the directive, “All Companies, Learning Institutes and Banks are too (sic) kindly note that applicants who are in possession of a ZEP expiring on the 31st of December 2021 must be allowed to continue with their services, provided they submit proof of application for a main stream (sic) visa, in terms of the Immigration Act and Immigration Regulations. Proof of application must be a VFS receipt.” This information does not directly state that applicants will be allowed to apply in South Africa, however, the request for a VFS receipt as application proof is a strong indication that applications can be made from within South Africa at relevant VFS branches.

The fourth paragraph of the directive states that “All applicants with a ZEP must be allowed to travel freely in and out of South Africa until 31 December 2022, when the 12-month grace period ends, after which they will only be allowed to travel in and out of South Africa, If in possession of a valid visa.” If the ZEP holder is in possession of a VFS receipt, they will be allowed to continue work-related activities during the 12-month grace period. However, it is not clear whether ZEP holders will be able to continue with work-related activities during the grace period without a VFS receipt from the 1st January 2022."

29/11/2021

The South African government has decided to do away with the special Zimbabwean Exemption Permit. This was announced by minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele during a post cabinet briefing.

The decision by the cabinet could see scores of Zimbabweans living and working in SA having no option but to return home should they not qualify for another visa category such as Critical Skills, General Work Visa, Spousal Visa or Student Visa. Government has given a grace period of 12 months which at the current visa processing times would be just enough to obtain another visa however Government has not yet stated whether ZEP holders will be able to submit applications from within South Africa or if they will have to submit them back in Zimbabwe as currently ZEP holders cannot change their status from within South Africa.

Gungubele said that following its deliberations, the cabinet decided to no longer issue extensions to the Zimbabwean special dispensations.He said the government has, however, decided to give a 12-month grace period at the expiry of the current ZEP.

“During this period, the holders of this permit should apply for other permits appropriate to their particular status or situation”

“At the expiry of this 12-month period, those who are not successful will have to leave SA or be deported,” said Gungubele.

At its inception, the permit was meant to document Zimbabwean nationals who were in SA illegally. Millions of Zimbabweans fled their country due to political turmoil and the collapse of the economy of the country under the-then president Robert Mugabe, whose ZANU-PF party was battling with the opposition. Unfortunately, the situation has not improved and Zimbabwe’s economy is still a mess due to political and ideological factors.

There are currently around 1 million Zimbabweans living in South Africa, one could take a calculated guess as to how many would qualify for other visa categories as perhaps around 20%. That would mean that as many as 800 000.00 people could be left stranded as illegal and with zero prospects to return home with Zimbabwe’s economy most certainly unable to absorb them. Has the South African Government created humanitarian disaster in the not-too-distant future?

19/11/2021

Is there opportunity in South Africa?

It has been a grim pandemic for the vast majority of South Africans. The State instituted a very hard lockdown which was accompanied by very little State support. If you had to compare the State support to countries abroad the U.K subsidized 80% of income for employees, Americans received cheques for thousands of dollars while the South African Government offered citizens the equivalent of around $ 30.00 per month. Those who out of pure desperation applied for the grant had to wait in long queues for enough money to feed themselves for a few days at the most.

https://compassmigration.co.za/free-assessment/

The youth unemployment rate sky-rocketed to 70% while the general unemployment rate has crept to over 40%. All of the above resulted in a mass looting spree when just a little bit of political fuel was added to the burning frustration as a result of State-imposed economic torture. It was no wonder that for the first time in the history of post-apartheid South Africa the Governing African National Congress dipped below a 50% majority of the votes and left many regions hung and in the throngs of coalition negotiations between smaller parties.

Capital flight has intensified and the pent-up demand for immigration out of the country will likely explode during the closing of 2021 and the beginning of 2022 as the developed world opens up its immigration programs to pre-covid levels. All of the above begs the question, is there an opportunity in South Africa?
What we have seen is the influx of foreign renewable energy firms and all the Engineers and industry titans which come along with them. We are seeing interest in South African skilled workers across the fields of I.T, Engineering, and Finance being sought after by foreign firms for employment in remote working posts. All we can see at this point is that there are most certainly opportunities brewing, the next 6 months will likely determine to what extent they can be harvested.

https://compassmigration.co.za/free-assessment/