Skilled foreigners are flocking to South Africa – and earning up to R1 million
South Africa is grappling with significant skills shortages across several crucial sectors, particularly in IT, engineering, healthcare, and finance—jobs that pay up to R1.08 million annually.
According to the jobs portal CareerJunction, these fields are facing worsening gaps in talent that the local workforce struggles to meet, creating an urgent need for skilled professionals.
This demand is highlighted by a surge in foreign workers entering South Africa to help fill these critical roles, drawn by recent visa reforms and attractive six-figure salaries.
The country’s efforts to bridge these skill gaps have taken a strategic turn, with government initiatives making it easier for foreigners to apply and be accepted for work visas.
Since 2023, South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has approved 1,223 critical skills visas, with expectations for an accelerated pace following the October 2024 introduction of a new points-based visa system.
This system requires applicants to score at least 100 points and meet specific job requirements, streamlining the path for foreign professionals with high-demand skills to obtain work visas.
Among other measures, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber recently introduced a Remote Work Visitor Visa and adjustments to the critical skills visa criteria, aiming to attract talent more effectively while reducing the bureaucratic red tape that previously hindered these processes.
This shift could have profound economic benefits, as research from the Reserve Bank and the International Food Policy Institute suggests that each critical skill brought into the country could indirectly create seven additional jobs.
The specific skills South Africa is targeting reflect shifts in the employment market over the past five years.
In particular, IT roles, such as technical and business architects, have become highly coveted as technology continues to drive economic growth.
CareerJunction highlights that IT architecture, especially technical roles, ranks as the top skill gap.
These professionals are in high demand, but a limited supply has made recruitment challenging.
With competitive salaries ranging from R480,000 to R1.08 million per year (equivalent to R40,000 to R90,000 monthly), the country is hoping to lure top talent to address these needs.
Data engineers and actuarial managers are similarly sought after, offering six-figure annual salaries that further underscore the country’s commitment to attracting specialized skills.
The engineering sector, specifically civil and structural engineering, has also seen a marked increase in labour demand.
As South Africa undergoes rapid infrastructure development, the need for experienced engineers has surged, creating substantial gaps that the local workforce cannot currently meet.
In parallel, the healthcare sector is also under pressure, with clinical and medical technologists, including nurses in specialised clinical technology fields, seeing a 32% increase in demand over the past six months alone.
However, filling these healthcare roles has proven difficult as the industry’s demand for skilled professionals continues to outstrip the available talent pool.
The influx of skilled foreign professionals is more than just a stopgap solution for South Africa’s economy—it is a transformative opportunity.
With generous compensation packages and fewer obstacles in the visa process, South Africa is poised to attract the expertise it urgently needs.
By addressing these critical skill shortages with the aid of foreign talent, South Africa can continue on a path of sustainable growth, ensuring that its essential industries are staffed with professionals capable of meeting today’s demands and adapting to tomorrow’s challenges.
The table below lists 15 critical jobs and what they pay per annum.
| Jobs | Average monthly salary |
|---|---|
| Software Developer | R40,000 to R60,000 (up to R720,000 per year) |
| Technical/Business Architect | R65,000 to R90,000 (up to R1,080,000 per year) |
| Database Designer/Developer/Administrator | R45,000 to R65,000 (up to R780,000 per year) |
| Actuarial Manager/Administrator | R62,948 to R74,834 (up to R898,000 per year) |
| Taxation | R30,900 to R39,800 (up to R477,600 per year) |
| ICT Systems Analyst | R40,000 to R50,000 (up to R600,000 per year) |
| Financial Analyst | R40,000 to R54,083 (up to R649,008 per year) |
| Civil Engineers | R41,667 to R65,833 (up to R789,996 per year) |
| External Auditor | R33,333 to R44,000 (up to R528,000 per year) |
| Nurse | R27,100 to R46,000 (up to R552,000 per year) |
| Data Analyst | R40,000 to R60,000 (up to R720,000 per year) |
| Full Stack Developer | R53,857 to R62,865 (up to R754,400 per year) |
| Data Engineer | R52,937 to R67,132 (up to R805,584 per year) |
| Business Analyst | R41,667 to R60,000 (up to R720,000 per year) |
| Investment Analyst | R40,000 to R60,000 (up to R720,000 per year) |
Read: Warning to businesses in South Africa – major deadline hitting this month
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