General Work Visa Requirements (Beyond the Points)

Even if you meet the points threshold, the baseline legal requirements still apply, and these can be just as demanding.

Applicant-side requirements

You’ll need to prepare:

• A valid passport with sufficient validity

• Police clearance certificates from every country you’ve lived in for more than 12 months

• Medical and radiological reports

• SAQA evaluation of qualifications

• Proof of relevant work experience

Each of these steps has its own timeline. Police clearances alone can take weeks depending on the country.

Employer-side requirements (often misunderstood post-2024)

This is where things have shifted—quietly, but significantly.

Under the previous system, employers had to go through a fairly heavy process: proving that no suitable South African candidate could be found, advertising the role, and obtaining labour certification. That requirement made many applications fragile from the outset.

With the introduction of the points-based system in 2024, that strict labour market testing requirement has effectively fallen away.

Now, the focus is different. The employer must still:

• Provide a valid job offer

• Issue a detailed employment contract

• Ensure the role and salary align with the points threshold

• Comply with South African labour standards
  
  

But they are no longer required to formally prove that a South African could not fill the position in the same rigid way as before.

In practice, this reduces friction—especially for employers in places like Durban, Pretoria, or even smaller towns where navigating government processes can already feel like a mission. It’s still not effortless, but it’s far more manageable than it used to be.

That said, the responsibility hasn’t disappeared. It has simply shifted. Instead of defending the hire through labour certification, the application now stands or falls on whether the combined profile (salary, qualifications, experience, employer credibility) reaches the required 100 points.

And that changes the game entirely.

Application Process: What It Actually Feels Like

On paper, the process is structured. In reality, it tends to move in uneven phases.

You start with momentum—a job offer secured, documents requested, and everything feels like it’s moving. Then SAQA takes longer than expected. Then a police clearance is delayed. Then VFS appointment slots are limited.

The steps themselves are straightforward:

1. Secure a job offer

2. The employer prepares justification

3. Submit qualifications to SAQA

4. Gather supporting documents

5. Submit application via VFS Global

6. Wait for DHA adjudication

But the timeline? That’s where expectations and reality often diverge.

Processing Times and Costs

Processing times

Official estimates suggest:

• 4 to 12 weeks
  
  

In practice, many applicants experience:

• 8 to 16 weeks, sometimes longer
  
  

There’s often a period of silence after submission. No updates, no movement. That uncertainty can be frustrating, especially if you’ve already relocated or are waiting to start employment.

Costs

Typical cost range:

• DHA application fee: ~R1,520

• VFS fee: ~R1,550

• SAQA evaluation: R1,700–R3,000+

• Additional costs (police clearance, medicals, translations)

All in, most applicants spend somewhere between R6,000 and R12,000, sometimes more depending on complexity.

Validity and Conditions (Important Reality Check)

A General Work Visa can be issued for up to five years, which sounds generous.

But the conditions are restrictive:

• You are tied to one employer.

• You cannot switch jobs without reapplying.

• If your employment ends, your visa status is at risk.

That dependency can feel manageable at first. But over time—especially in industries with high turnover—it becomes a real consideration.

Permanent Residency Pathway

Yes, there is a pathway to permanent residency after five years of continuous employment.

However, compared to the Critical Skills route, it’s:

• More document-heavy

• Slower to process

• Less predictable

Many applicants start on a general work visa and later transition if their occupation becomes listed as critical.

General Work Visa vs Critical Skills Visa

This is a decision that should be made early, not halfway through the process.

The Critical Skills Visa generally offers:

• More flexibility

• Less employer dependency

• Faster access to permanent residency
  
  

If you qualify for it—even marginally—it’s usually the stronger option.

Common Mistakes That Cause Delays

There’s a pattern to most delays.

Not dramatic mistakes—just small oversights that compound.

• SAQA delays that push timelines back by weeks

• Weak employer motivation that doesn’t meet DHA expectations

• Applying without reaching 100 points

• Accepting a salary that quietly undermines eligibility

Individually, these seem manageable. Together, they can derail an application.

Is the General Work Visa Worth It?

It depends on your position. If you have:

• A strong employer backing you

• A competitive salary

• Solid qualifications and experience

Then yes, it’s a viable route.

But if one of those pieces is missing, the process can feel drawn out and uncertain. Many applicants in South Africa reach a point where they reassess—sometimes switching visa strategies entirely.

Final Thoughts

The general work visa for South Africa is no longer just a procedural application. It’s a structured evaluation.

You’re not simply submitting documents—you’re presenting a case:

• That your role matters

• That your skills are needed

• That your profile meets a measurable threshold

And if that case doesn’t reach 100 points, the system doesn’t bend easily.