Newly updated critical skills list

Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, has released an updated critical skills list to be implemented immediately to fill up skills currently in short supply in South Africa. The previous critical skills list was released in May 2014 and implemented shortly thereafter.

The newly updated critical skills list has further narrowed the 2014 version of the critical skills, which had a clear focus on the technology, engineering, financial, and medical sectors. The glaring problem with the new list is the insistence on high-ranking education and certification (NQF level 8 or more for most categories), not leaving space for applicants who rely more on their work experience in the field as opposed to academic qualifications.

Interested individuals can view the complete updated 2022 critical skills list here.

Some of the most notable jobs which have been added include:

• Director (Enterprise/ Organisation) Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director (NQF 9)
• Corporate General Manager (medium enterprises or larger) (Master of Business Administration NQF 8)
• Programme or Project Manager (Master’s Degree NQF 9)
• Quality Systems Manager, Quality Control Manager, Quality Assurance Systems Auditor (Master’s Degree NQF 9)
• Data Scientist (Master’s Degree NQF 9)

Potential applicants should remain patient as the technical guidelines on the qualification and implementation of the list have not yet been published. Only then will interested candidates know with certainty if they qualify for a critically skilled occupation or not.

The updated list also means that candidates whose skills were removed are no longer eligible to apply for permanent residency under the critical skills category and will need to consider an alternative category.

Lastly, foreign nationals currently in possession of a critical skills visa with a skill no longer applicable may be unable to renew their visa when the time comes and will not be eligible for permanent residency.

If you are concerned about your ability to remain in South Africa as a skilled worker or would like to discuss applying for a critical skills visa, our team can assist.

our team of South African immigration experts can help you navigate the newest guidelines or discuss your visa category options, ensuring you understand all paths available to you. For more information, please contact our team or complete our online form, and we will contact you.