South Africa Pilots Trusted Employer Scheme

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has issued an invitation to corporate employers to submit an expression of interest in the pilot of the Trusted Employer Scheme (TES).

Key Information

• To qualify for membership in the TES, an employer, investor or business must demonstrate that it has the financial means to employ a foreign national, that it runs training program for South African citizens and that it is a good corporate citizen.
• Participating businesses, investors and corporate employers will qualify for priority processing of their visa applications with reduced requirements and supporting documents.
• TES membership will be applicable to local applications as well as to all applications submitted at South African High Commissions abroad.
• Current corporate account clients are invited to apply for TES membership.

DHA will use a points system, with <30 points available for proven/pledged investment, <25 points for employment, <15 points depending on the sector, <20 points for skills transfer/development and <10 points for equity equivalence.  The selection criteria are explained in more detail here.

Application Process

• Interested companies which are registered and operational in South Africa should submit their expression of interest using the TES application form.
• Applications should be addressed to the Chief Directorate and forwarded to the DHA by hand or mail or email.
• Applications must contain all information specified in the selection criteria and supported by the documents mentioned in the application form.
• Applications will be assessed by a selected inter-departmental committee.
• DHA will make the final selection and advise applicants of the outcome.
• The decision of the TES inter-departmental committee will be final.
• The closing date for submissions is November 20, 2023

The TES was proposed in the Operation Vulindlela Work Visa Review Report (2022) to address the unpredictable nature of visa adjudications.

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