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Critical Skills Work Visa – Challenges and Update- Artisans and Trade Test Certificates.

Source: SA Migration, 12/10/2016

We previously published on this topic a few months ago and shed some
light into the reason why artisans were being rejected when apply for
a critical skills work visa. In all cases the Department would insist
that the applicant produce a trade test certificate, something that
was previously not required and technically still not a legislative
requirement. In that article we reveal that a decision had been
reached that applicant would have to produce a letter issued by the
Indlela National Artisan Moderation Body (NAMB) and that this letter
would be sufficient. But we have continued to receive calls from
individual still being rejected despite producing these letters in
their applications. So we took it upon ourselves to follow up on this
issue for the benefit of the parties concerned.

We contacted one of the officials involved in this process and she
advised us of the following; The Department of Home Affairs will
require all artisans wishing to apply for critical skills work visas
to be trade tested by a South African Trade test centre; Applicants
without a trade test certificate will be allowed to apply for the
critical skills work visa which will be issued for one year with a
condition that they obtain a South African trade test certificate
within that year.

We advise all individuals wishing to apply for the critical skills
work visa to have booked their trade test and supply such proof as
part of the application supporting documents. Individuals on existing
General and Quota work permits intending to apply for a critical
skills work visa must endeavor to be trade tested before lodging the
application in order to secure a visa for the full 5-year period.

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