Since October 2024, South Africa decides who qualifies for its two main work visas through a 100-point test. Here is how it works, and what it does not cover.
Where the rules come from
The points system was published by the Minister of Home Affairs as GN 5448 in Government Gazette 51416 on 18 October 2024, replacing a notice from 9 October that contained a typing error. It applies to the Critical Skills Work Visa and the General Work Visa.
How the 100 points are reached
- A listed occupation. An occupation on the Critical Skills List carries 100 points on its own and points to the Critical Skills Work Visa.
- A combination. Qualification (30 or 50), salary (20 or 50), experience (20 or 30), a Trusted Employer offer (30) and language (10) can add up to 100 or more, pointing to the General Work Visa.
The offer of employment is mandatory. The gazette's salary bands are R650,976 to R976,194 for 20 points, and above R976,194 for 50 points. Some official checklists print the lower figure as R650,796; if your salary is close to it, confirm which applies.
The Critical Skills List
The list in force was published on 3 October 2023 (GN R.3934, Government Gazette 49402). It has 142 entries, each with an OFO code, from directors and engineers to medical specialists, ICT roles and some trades. Some occupations people expect, such as general medical practitioner or chartered accountant, are not on it.
A similar job title is not enough. The duties in your contract should match the listed occupation.
Points are only half the application
The notice says applicants must still meet every other prescribed requirement:
- a SAQA evaluation for foreign qualifications (proof of submission is currently accepted for Critical Skills applications);
- professional registration, or proof of application, where the occupation requires it;
- police clearance for every country lived in for 12 months or more since age 18;
- medical and radiological reports;
- a passport valid for the stay, with blank pages.
For General Work Visas, the Department of Employment and Labour certificate has been waived since 8 October 2024. No end date has been published.
Try your own profile in the work permit assessment. It applies these rules to your answers and lists what is missing.
What may change
The Revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection, approved by Cabinet in April 2026, proposes new skilled and sectoral work visas. It is policy, not law, and has no timetable yet.
Sources: GN 5448, GG 51416 (18 October 2024); Critical Skills List, GN R.3934, GG 49402 (3 October 2023). General information, not advice on your circumstances.
