Points-Based Immigration System - South Africa

Overview

In May 2024, the Minister of Home Affairs promulgated amended Immigration Regulations introducing a points-based system for assessing General Work Visa and Critical Skills Work Visa applications. The system became effective on 9 October 2024. All applications submitted on or after this date are adjudicated under the points-based system.

Minimum requirement: 100 points to qualify.

Legal basis: Amendment to the Immigration Regulations under Section 7 of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002.

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Complete Points Scoring Table

Criteria	Points
OCCUPATION
Occupation on the Critical Skills List	100
QUALIFICATIONS
NQF Level 9 (Master's degree) or NQF Level 10 (Doctoral degree)	50
NQF Level 7 (Bachelor's degree) or NQF Level 8 (Honours/Postgrad diploma)	30
OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT (Mandatory)
Gross salary above R976,194 per annum	50
Gross salary between R650,796 and R976,194 per annum	20
WORK EXPERIENCE
5-10 years relevant work experience	20
10+ years relevant work experience	30
EMPLOYMENT STATUS
Offer from a Trusted Employer	20
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Proficient in at least one SA official language	10

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How It Works

For Critical Skills Work Visa

• If your occupation is on the Critical Skills List, you automatically score 100 points
• This alone meets the minimum threshold
• Additional points from other categories are bonus
• Must still meet all other prescribed requirements (SAQA, professional body, etc.)

For General Work Visa

• Must reach 100 points through a combination of factors (excluding Critical Skills List)
• Typical combinations:
  • NQF 9-10 qualification (50) + High salary (50) = 100
  • NQF 7-8 qualification (30) + High salary (50) + Experience 5-10yr (20) = 100
  • NQF 7-8 qualification (30) + Medium salary (20) + Experience 10+yr (30) + Trusted Employer (20) = 100
  • NQF 9-10 qualification (50) + Medium salary (20) + Experience 10+yr (30) = 100

A Job Offer is MANDATORY

• Both visa types require a confirmed offer of employment
• The salary of the offer determines the employment points
• No points are awarded without a valid employment offer

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Qualification Levels (NQF Framework)

The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is South Africa's system for classifying qualifications:

NQF Level	Qualification Type	Points
NQF 10	Doctoral Degree (PhD)	50
NQF 9	Master's Degree	50
NQF 8	Honours Degree / Postgraduate Diploma	30
NQF 7	Bachelor's Degree / Advanced Diploma	30
NQF 6	Diploma / Advanced Certificate	0 (minimum for Critical Skills)
NQF 5	Higher Certificate	0
NQF 4	National Senior Certificate (Matric)	0

SAQA Evaluation Required: Foreign qualifications must be evaluated by SAQA to determine their NQF equivalence.

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Salary Thresholds

Salary Band	Gross Annual (ZAR)	Gross Monthly (ZAR)	Points
High	Above R976,194	Above ~R81,350	50
Medium	R650,796 - R976,194	~R54,233 - ~R81,350	20
Below threshold	Below R650,796	Below ~R54,233	0

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Qualification + Salary Requirements by Level

The regulations set minimum salary requirements tied to qualification level:

Qualification Level	Minimum Salary Required	Min Experience
NQF 9-10 (Masters/PhD)	R651,000+ gross per annum	5 years
NQF 7-8 (Bachelors/Honours)	R977,000+ gross per annum	5-10 years

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Trusted Employer Status

What Is It?

• A new concept introduced in the 2024 regulations
• Employers can apply for "Trusted Employer" recognition from DHA
• Employees of Trusted Employers receive 20 bonus points

Benefits

• 20 additional points for applicants
• Potentially faster processing
• Signals compliance and good standing to DHA

How to Qualify (Expected Criteria)

• Good compliance history with DHA
• No violations of Immigration Act
• Meets employer obligations under Section 38
• Maintains proper records
• Has a track record of employing foreign nationals lawfully
• The full criteria for Trusted Employer status are still being finalized

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Key Differences from Old System

Aspect	Old System	New Points System
Assessment	Subjective DHA discretion	Objective points scoring
Labour market test	Required (DoL certificate)	Waived
Salary consideration	Not directly scored	Scored (20 or 50 points)
Experience	Required but not scored	Scored (20 or 30 points)
Qualifications	Required but not scored	Scored (30 or 50 points)
Language	Not formally assessed	Scored (10 points)
Transparency	Low - unclear criteria	High - published scoring table
Employer status	Not a factor	Trusted Employer bonus (20 pts)

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Exemptions from Points System

The following are exempt from the points-based system:

• Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders applying for mainstream work visas
• Intra-Company Transfer Visa applicants (Section 19(3))
• Corporate Visa workers (Section 21)
• Exchange Visa holders (Section 22)

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Language Proficiency

Official Languages of South Africa

South Africa has 11 official languages:

1. English
2. Afrikaans
3. isiZulu
4. isiXhosa
5. Sesotho
6. Setswana
7. Sepedi (Sesotho sa Leboa)
8. Xitsonga
9. siSwati
10. Tshivenda
11. isiNdebele

How Proficiency is Assessed

• Applicant must demonstrate proficiency in at least one official language
• Assessment criteria are still being formalized
• English proficiency is the most common path
• 10 points awarded for meeting this criterion

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Practical Implications

For Applicants

• Calculate your points before applying
• Ensure SAQA evaluation is complete (or at least submitted)
• Negotiate salary with employer to meet threshold
• Build up work experience documentation
• Get language proficiency certification if needed

For Employers

• Consider applying for Trusted Employer status
• Structure salary offers to meet points thresholds
• Maintain compliance records
• Consider the points-based system when making offers to foreign candidates

For VisaFlow Product

• Points calculator feature would be highly valuable
• Allow users to input their qualifications, salary, experience to calculate eligibility
• Track which occupations are on the Critical Skills List
• Monitor changes to points thresholds and salary bands