Where is South Africa’s ‘Remote Working VISA’?

The Western Cape Government has re-submitted constructive recommendations to the Department of Home Affairs, first sent last year, on how South Africa could quickly introduce a Remote Work VISA so that we can leverage the indisputable global trends towards remote work.

More than 6 months after the announcement was made by President Cyril Ramaphosa that South Africa is considering introducing this VISA, it is still not clear what the status of the project is and when it will be implemented.

At the same time, competitor destinations are moving with speed to accommodate this new travel trend, which creates a real risk that South Africa will be left behind.

This is reflected in a survey conducted in March by the Western Cape Government’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism of mainly tourism industry associations, film industry stakeholders and immigration and VISA facilitation agencies. 68% of the respondents said that it is critical for South Africa to introduce remote work VISAs to take advantage of this increasing trend post the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the constructive proposal, the Western Cape Government has set out recommendations that would enable the introduction of this VISA within the existing legal framework, through amendments to Immigration Act 13 of 2002 regulations. This does not require amendment to legislation.

The proposal also argues that a short-term remote work VISA may be approved for an initial one-year period, with the option to renew for an additional two years upon satisfying the necessary checks by the Department of Home Affairs.

Ultimately, it argues that the introduction of a remote working VISA will ensure that South Africa remains competitive in attracting digital nomads.

This will boost our economy by bringing significant extra money into the country, by people who already have jobs elsewhere in the world and who are simply looking to enjoy their work from our beautiful destination.

This is therefore a win-win for the South African economy, which needs to be focusing on rapid economic growth and job creation now more than ever.

As we now approach our summer peak season, we hope for speed in finally introducing what is a clear opportunity for South Africa.