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10 Job skills that South Africa desperately needs

On August 8, 2019 / by Andrew Wicks / Leave a comment

A critical skills survey conducted by expatriation and international mobility sector specialist firm, shows several sectors in the economy are experiencing critical skill shortages. The sectors experiencing the most pressure include information and technology, engineering, finance and health.

The Critical Skills list is currently under review by the Department of Home Affairs and a new list is expected to be released before the end of 2019 for public comment. Some reports have put the date at early 2020. The critical skills list will be used to determine whether a foreigner may apply for a visa to live and work in the country.

Surveys show that the South Africa is currently in desperate need of the following skills:

  • ICT Specialist
  • Engineers
  • Artisans
  • Senior Financial Executives
  • Health Sector
  • Executive Managers
  • Specialists & Academics
  • Mining Executives
  • Risk Managers
  • Foreign Language Speakers

The group’s survey also showed that 62% of participants blamed the visa process as the greatest prohibitor to recruiting internationally. However, several visa-related reforms are on the cards, which is in line with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Economic Stimulus and Recovery Plan.

Reports from emigration assistance groups and local banks show that South Africa has seen a sharp rise in the number of skilled people emigrating. Many of these South Africans are leaving for the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia with highly sought after skills.

If you are looking to get a critical skills visa – or any other visa in South Africa, it’s always easier to use an Immigration company. Make sure you get in touch with one of our Immigration consultants today to ensure that your move to South Africa is a seamless one.

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Andrew Wicks

Andrew Wicks

Over the past 11 years, Andrew’s entrepreneurial spirit, as well as his business acumen, has led to the establishment of small to medium enterprises worldwide. Promising opportunities in the fields of IT, mobile distribution and advertising (amongst others) have been converted into successful business units in a variety of global markets. Andrew returned to South Africa after seven years in Europe to found Initiate International. He remains totally hands-on and has expanded the company across three continents.

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