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How to look for a job in South Africa?

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A guide to finding a job in South Africa, including information on the current market for jobs, South African work permits, and the best places to search for openings.

Finding an employment opportunity in a foreign nation isn’t always straightforward. A job offer often requires before the visa application process can begin. However, many employers are hesitant to participate.

A skilled foreign worker who is South African on a critical skills visa can make the process much simpler. The visa is first, and then the job offer follows. You also read a method to find a job .

Additionally, Employers can treat you like every other South African. There aren’t any additional obligations simply because you’re an in-between resident.

The remaining battle is won through knowing which direction to take and who to talk to for the best jobs. For South Africa, it’s a mixture of recruiting agencies and networking.

Method to find a job in South Africa

According to law, every South African job must be advertised nationwide. The job will be open to foreign workers when a South African citizen isn’t available or isn’t able to perform the job.

Thus one of the simplest methods to get a job in South Africa is through a company that you are already employed by in your country of origin. If you cannot get a secondment for you, most foreign workers can find work before entering the country . You can start your job search in the country you currently live in through various options.

Working during the summer

The variety of summer-paid jobs isn’t as wide as the opportunities available within the UK. You could be fortunate if you have the skills needed for certain jobs. For example, if you are familiar with working on children’s behalf, you could look at the role of auto repair.

South Africa is a popular tourist destination. You may be looking for temporary jobs in the hospitality sector.

Education Job in South Africa

To be able to teach abroad for a position in South Africa, you’ll need the appropriate qualification, which is called the Teach English to foreign Language (TEFL) qualification, as well as previous teaching experience. But, since English is among the nation’s main languages, there are not many paid jobs in TEFL. The jobs required typically given to the local South Africans.

In rural areas where a range of languages ​​​​​​is spoken, the need for teaching assistants who speak English is greater – those who are educated in science, maths, and technology are highly sought-after. If you’ve got these specific capabilities, there might be be an opportunity to teach within South Africa for you.

South Africa’s employment market

South Africa has high unemployment, measured at 28.18 percent in 2019. It has increased since the financial crisis of 2008. However, it is less than at the beginning of the 20th century, when it was frequently over 30 percent.

Based on the World Bank, South Africa has the worst unemployment rate in the sub-Saharan Africa region, experiencing at least 6.2 percent unemployment in 2019.

It isn’t easy to find work as a migrant worker in South Africa unless you have certain skills and qualifications that are required to work in South Africa. Unskilled or semi-skilled jobs are scarce, and employers would rather recruit from the local population of unemployed people. Most ex-pats who are working age and who are moving from South Africa tend to have an offer of employment before moving.

But, there are skill gaps in South Africa in certain sectors, and it’s worthwhile to keep your eyes open for opportunities if you’re proficient in one of the following areas that have been identified in the 2019 shortage list:

  • advanced ICT
  • engineering
  • artisan
  • executive-level finance
  • healthcare
  • executive managerial
  • specialist & academic
  • executive-level mining
  • risk management
  • languages

Available Jobs in South Africa

If you possess a talent needed in an industry in the South African economy, you could apply for a Critical Skills Visa. 

Recruiter conducting a job interview

If you’ve got knowledge and experience in teaching math, science, or technology, you could be able to find an opportunity to teach in rural areas. Check out Teach South Africa for more details.

South African job salaries

Beginning 1 March 2020, the South African minimum wage will increase by 3.8 percent, up to R20.76 per hour. It is less for workers on farms (R18.68) and domestic employees (R15.57), and those who work on programs for public work (R11.42).

The median gross monthly income for non-agricultural employees from South Africa in February 2020 is R22,387.

South Africa’s work environment

The majority of people employed working in South Africa work Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 5:00 pm. The organizational structure in national firms tends to be more hierarchical, with decisions being made at the top. However, this structure disperses in the larger multinational corporations worldwide .

Meetings and negotiations generally are more information than many American or European firms, but this can vary by industry and size of the business.

Online job searching

Online is the best way to go if you’re looking to remain in control of your job search and find a job. Many sites allow users to upload their CVs for employers to locate them.

Indeed pulls job advertisements from job sites such as job listings on the internet and even corporate career pages. If you are only looking to utilize one site, You can create it Indeed.

CareerJunction is a great resource because you can utilize information from the salary surveys to establish the amount that is reasonable for your job.

Do you want to job in South Africa as a skilled professional in the field of marketing? You can start your search on Bizcommunity. It’s the most popular site for recruiters and employers in the marketing field in South Africa. Bizcommunity also offers opinion pieces and news and keeps you informed of the current events in your industry.

Final Advice

Finding an employment opportunity at first is indeed hard and often challenging sometimes. However, as long as you adhere to these guidelines and continue to practice, it is likely that you will get the job you want. Are you ready to look for jobs? Look through the most sought-after jobs available in Johannesburg right now. You can also look up the job openings in Cape Town. Continue reading for more information on how to dominate the job market to find new ways to improve your skills.

FAQS

Does South Africa allow foreigners to work?

Foreigners allow employment within South Africa – if they have a visa that permits them to a job in South Africa. These visas permit the worker to employed within South Africa:

1. Work Permit for Critical skills

There  is no requirement to be employed to get an occupation to apply for the Critical Skills Work Visa. However, once you’ve received your visa, you must get a job for 12 months.

2. Business Visa

Only South African-registered businesses or their branches are eligible for Corporate Visas. It permits you to recruit many workers from overseas for some time, all within the same application.

What professions are in demand in South Africa?

To answer this question, if you are an international citizen looking for employment in SA, You must check the list of the essential requirements.

The list has more than 100 professions in 12 categories and industries. Every one of the professions or categories, as well as industries, endorsed by the Department of Home Affairs. 

As we’ve previously explained, If you comply with the requirements in the list of essential capabilities, you’ll be eligible to apply for a Critical Skills Work Visa.

What is the average wait time for employment in South Africa?

Our survey revealed that it takes young job seekers an average of six months to land their first position.

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