International companies on the hunt for South African workers

Global employers are increasingly hiring workers based in South Africa, with many drawn to the highly skilled and cheap workforce.

Employer of record and recruitment specialist, the Legends Agency, said that global employers are increasingly turning to South Africa’s workforce to meet their operational needs.

With an unemployment rate of over 30%, world-class universities, and a favourable time zone, South Africa has presented itself as a place for global businesses to access skilled professionals.

The Legends Agency has seen this trend first-hand as it connects global businesses with local talent.

Over the last year, the company has seen over 150 British and US companies hire South African employees.

The company said that the rapid expansion reflects the global trends towards offshoring, as business increasingly look beyond traditional markets to boost their operations.

With global businesses facing higher employer taxes and wage increases, the group said that recruiting South African teams has become attractive as it cuts costs.

Some companies reported cutting as much as 50% of their costs this way.

“Global companies initially approach us for the cost savings, but they stay for the outstanding talent and performance of their South African teams, who consistently exceed expectations,” said Anthony Kettle, SA CEO of The Legends Agency.

South Africa showing its value

Recruitment agency Robert Walters recently highlighted the increase in offshoring in South Africa.

A recent survey from the recruitment service showed that 60% of business leaders ranked South Africa as the most attractive country for offshoring.

South Africa thus surpassed popular offshoring sites of India (10%), the Philippines (10%), and Eastern Europe (19%).

The main reasons for offshoring in South Africa were the access to skilled talent (41%) and retained earnings of 39%.

On top of the strong English proficiency, South Africa is also growing a reputation for business and tech services.

Robert Walters said several industries have shown notable growth in offshoring activities to South Africa, most notably Tech and IT, which account for 53% of new roles.

This is followed by demand in customer service and support (18%), finance and accounting (20%) and HR and recruitment (9%).

“We’re seeing a strong pipeline of international businesses establishing operations in South Africa – particularly in tech and support functions,” said Robert Walters Africa Samantha-Jane Gravett. 

“South Africa offers an agile, highly capable workforce that aligns well with global business hours and standards.” 

Like many organisations looking to build resilience, agility, and efficiency in their operating models, Gravett said South Africa is stepping up as a go-to solution.

Offshoring increasingly influences job markets globally, with most business leaders agreeing that it encourages upskilling in home markets.

“As digital transformation accelerates and companies reassess the future of work, the trend towards offshoring and nearshoring is expected to grow,” said Robert Walters

“South Africa stands out for its combination of skilled talent, strong infrastructure, and alignment with international business practices, making it a strategic location for building global capabilities.”

Although offshoring to South Africa is becoming increasingly common, there still remains several countries that are looking to bring South African workers to their countries directly.

The Netherlands is one such country, with the Western European nation looking to South Africa to fill its healthcare and engineering professional shortages.

Managing director of Beaver Recruitment SA, Nicholas Avramis, said that the demand for South Africans is growing, especially for healthcare professionals.

The number of South Africans living in the Netherlands has grown from a massive 21,878 in 2018 to an estimated 41,300 living there.

Other countries looking to South Africans to fill labour requirements include Ireland, Canada, the UAE and Germany.