On July 20, 2026, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) announced the launch of Phase II of its Trusted Employer Scheme (TES).
The expanded scheme will now include companies involved in strategic infrastructure projects, businesses establishing regional and global headquarters in South Africa, and qualifying entities in the financial sector. It also forms part of DHA’s broader digital transformation agenda and features a dedicated online application process that will ultimately be integrated into the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) platform.
To qualify, companies must demonstrate meaningful investment in South Africa, employ predominantly South African citizens or permanent residents, invest in skills development, and operate in priority sectors. Applications to TES Phase II will be independently assessed by an interdepartmental committee to ensure a transparent, merit-based process.
Companies that are registered and are operational in South Africa and are interested in being considered for registration onto the Trusted Employer Scheme (TES) Phase II should submit their expression of interest using the Trusted Employer Scheme link available on the www.dha.gov.za website.
There are three distinct pathways, each with its own scorecard:
- Pathway for South African-based operations;
- Pathway for companies with an existing regional or head office in South Africa (or the intention to establish one);
- Pathway for synthetic financial centers (SFCs) in the South African financial sector.
A minimum score of 80 is required.
Expressions of interest for TES Phase II are open from July 20, 2026 and close on September 4, 2026. Outcomes regarding the expressions of interest will be issued within 30 working days after the closing date.
Companies that are registered and are operational in South Africa and are interested in being considered for registration onto the Trusted Employer Scheme (TES) Phase II should submit their expression of interest using the Trusted Employer Scheme link available here.
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Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.