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 the country can leverage the indisputable global trends towards remote work.
More than six months after the announcement was made by President Cyril Ramaphosa that South Africa is considering introducing this type of visa, it is still unclear what the status of the project is and when it would be implemented.
At the same time, competitor destinations are moving with speed to accommodate this new travel trend, which poses 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 the 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.
