Work visas and permission to work in South Africa webinar 2026

Starting with a brief overview of the policy framework, the webinar will be an introduction to the world of getting permission for a foreign national to work in South Africa. 

This will range from short term work authorizations to long term critical skills work visas. The webinar will also cover those visas which will give the holder permission to work as a secondary activity.

When?

6 November 2026, 9:00 to 11:00

Course outline

There are few countries which are not dealing with the troubled issue of economic migration - South Africa is not alone in this. But there are many facets to this issue and the Immigration Act, 13 of 2002, acknowledges this human reality. 

There are a multitude of reasons why people move from one country to another - some of these reasons may lead to temporary migration, while for others the move is more permanent. 

Some people are transferred to an offshore branch by their employer, others travel back and forth for seasonal labour. Academics may move for the sake of their research interests. Some people travel for tourism or to attend conferences, while others need to travel to access medical treatment. There are people who travel to volunteer with humanitarian or environmental projects or to assist with wildlife rehabilitation. Young people often move abroad temporarily for work experience or to build up their savings. Some migration happens for family reunification, while some people are forced to flee persecution or conflict in their home country. And then last but not least, there are the people who have had the bravery to realise that their own country cannot feed, educate or provide jobs for its population, whether this be due to the consequences of colonialism, corruption, mismanagement or climate change. 

Providing for and managing these very human phenomena and deciding whether or not permission should be given to allow these foreign nationals to work in South Africa, while balancing these ‘realities’ against the desperate unemployment levels in South Africa, are but a few of the aspects of a critical domain of immigration law and of the Department of Home Affairs. 

It is not just about visas for people who relocate in search of better economic opportunities in other countries and how they are received and treated by the host country. 

This webinar will focus on the subject of work visas and authorisations which allow work, for people who find themselves in one or other of these many situations.

Presenter

Chris Watters has been in practice for over 40 years. Chris Watters Attorneys was started 37 years ago. The firm handles inward immigration law exclusively. He was on the Immigration Advisory Board from 2003 – 2005. He was appointed to the SA Law Reform Commission’s subcommittee on immigration law reform. He sat on the Immigration Law Committees of both the LSNP and the LSSA for many years. Aside from various High Court judgements over the years, he has obtained five Constitutional Court judgments on the subject of immigration and refugee law. He has been recognised as an expert in SA immigration law in both the UK and US courts. He has regularly lectured on immigration law for LEAD and other NGOs. In addition to speaking at international conferences on SA immigration law, he is a member of the Global Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

How much?

R995 per person.

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