The long awaited Permanent Residence for Graduates finalised

The Department of Home Affairs yesterday published the following Directive signed by the Minister of Home Affairs. The Directive grants the below waivers in respect of applications made by foreign graduates who studied at South African tertiary institutions towards degrees in the areas of critical skills.

The waiver allows foreign graduates to apply for Permanent Residency waiving the requirement of the following documentation usually essential in terms of Section 27(b) of the Act –

Certificate from a Professional Body recognised by SAQA confirming the skills and qualifications of the applicant
Proof of post-qualification experience of at least five years
Testimonials from previous employers and a comprehensive curriculum vitae

Please click here for a copy of the waiver

The Importance of South African Permanent Residency to your Expatriate / Human Resource Strategy

The work permit process can be time consuming and even painful, depending on your permit categorisation. One question often asked is whether an expatriate should not consider Permanent Residency application sooner, effectively lifting the expatriate’s status above the noise of normal work permit requirements. We found that there can be a significant upside however, depending on the complexities there may also be adverse consequences.

Why Permanent Residency?

Permanent Residency allows the holder to live and work in South Africa unlimited including the right to work without restriction, engage in business, own property, study and do all things a citizen is permitted to do with the exception of voting in the South African elections. You may only do so once you have been naturalised as a South African citizen. Permanent Residency in South Africa also allows its holder maximum flexibility with regards to entry and exit through the country’s borders. Read more