South Africa General Work Visa: How Americans Reach 100 Points
The labor market test is gone for now. What's left is a points score, a real job offer, and a five-year visa that can turn into permanent residence.
Since October 2024, Home Affairs scores every general work visa application on points. For most Americans it comes down to one number: a job offer above R976,194 a year, about $60,000 at September 2026 exchange rates.
Who this visa is built for
A salaried job with a South African employer, in an occupation that isn't on the critical skills list. If yours is on the list, that alone scores the full 100 points, so use the critical skills visa instead.
Working remotely for a U.S. company? Look at the remote work visa. Moving within your own company? The intra-company transfer visa runs up to four years but can't be renewed.
Where the 100 points come from
50 pts
Offer above R976,194 a year
about $60,000
20 pts
Offer of R650,976 to R976,194
about $40,000 to $60,000
50 pts
Master's or doctorate
NQF level 9 or 10
30 pts
Bachelor's or honours
NQF level 7 or 8
30 pts
More than 10 years' experience
5 to 10 years earns 20
10 pts
Fluent in an official language
English counts
The math for a typical American applicant
English is one of South Africa's official languages, so you start with 10. A bachelor's (30), an offer above R976,194 (50) and 5 to 10 years' experience (20) make 100. With a master's, the top salary band alone gets you there. The lower salary band is where people fall short: a bachelor's, 10+ years, English and 20 salary points total 90. An offer from a Trusted Employer Scheme company adds 30. Short of 100, you can ask the Minister for a waiver, but those decisions rarely take less than four months.
Applying from the U.S., step by step
Before you file
Get the signed offer and send your degree to SAQA, the South African Qualifications Authority, for evaluation. Order an FBI background check and a medical report; each expires six months after it's issued. Your employer no longer needs a Department of Employment and Labour certificate proving no South African could do the job.
Where to file
Apply before you move, at the South African Embassy in Washington or the consulate that serves your state. If you fly in visa-free, you're a visitor. Visitors can't switch to a work visa inside the country except in exceptional cases.
If SAQA is slow
You can file with proof of your SAQA application. You'll get a one-year visa, extended once the evaluation comes back positive.
What it costs and how long it takes
$127
Embassy fee in Washington
non-refundable, money order
$201
Filing inside South Africa
R1,520 fee plus R1,750 VFS
4 weeks
Home Affairs target, 2026
practitioners see 4 to 12+
5 years
Longest single visa
1 year if SAQA is pending
The fine print that trips people up
Your spouse can come, but can't work
Spouses and children get an accompanying visa for up to three years, renewable. It doesn't allow work or study, so a working spouse needs a visa of their own. Unmarried partners need two years together.
The visa belongs to the job
Employers face prison time for employing someone outside their visa's conditions, so sort the paperwork before any job change.
Overstays cost years
Up to 30 days over can get you banned for 12 months. More than 30 days, you're out of South Africa for five years.
Taxes on both sides
A salary in the top points band lands in South Africa's 41% bracket for the 2027 tax year. You still file a U.S. return; the foreign earned income exclusion covers up to $132,900 for 2026.
Five years to permanent residence
After five years on a work visa, you can apply if your employer offers you a permanent job. The 2026 processing target is 240 working days.
Why this page carries a date
The labor certificate wasn't deleted from the regulations. The Minister waived it in October 2024, though the underlying rule is still on the books. Cabinet also approved a revised immigration White Paper in April 2026 that proposes a new skilled worker visa; none of it is law yet. Dollar figures use R16.3 per dollar from September 2026, so rerun them when you file.
Help with what comes after the visa
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
International health insurance for people living abroad. Useful for the stretch before a South African medical scheme starts paying, and for trips back to the U.S.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
A healthcare coach who helps you compare coverage options and work out how much you need before you sign up for a plan.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
Prepares U.S. returns for Americans abroad, including the foreign earned income exclusion and foreign tax credit filings that a South African salary brings.
Moneycorp
Currency Exchange
Currency exchange and international transfers, including forward contracts that lock a rand rate ahead of a move.
Questions Americans ask about this visa
How long does the South Africa general work visa take?
Home Affairs' 2026 target is four weeks, and the South African Embassy in Washington says long-stay visas may take three to four weeks. Practitioners report 4 to 12 weeks or more, and Home Affairs had about 54,000 overdue visa applications in September 2026.
Does South Africa still require a labor market test for the general work visa?
Not right now. Since October 2024, applicants don't need a Department of Employment and Labour certificate proving no South African could fill the job, because the Minister of Home Affairs waived it. The requirement is still written into the immigration regulations, so the waiver could be withdrawn.
Can I apply for a South African work visa while visiting on a tourist stay?
Generally no. Americans who arrive visa-free are on visitor status, and visitors can't switch to a work visa from inside South Africa except in exceptional circumstances. Plan to apply from the U.S. before you move.
How much do I need to earn for a South African general work visa?
A job offer is mandatory, and salary is where most points come from. An offer above R976,194 a year (about $60,000 in September 2026) earns 50 of the 100 points you need. An offer between R650,976 and R976,194 earns 20, which usually means you need a master's degree or long experience to make up the rest.
Do I need my U.S. degree evaluated for a South African work visa?
Yes. Foreign qualifications must be evaluated by SAQA, the South African Qualifications Authority. If the result isn't back yet, you can file with proof of your SAQA application and get a one-year visa, extended once the evaluation comes back positive.
Can my spouse work in South Africa if I have a general work visa?
Not on the accompanying spouse visa, which doesn't allow work or study. A spouse who wants to work needs a work visa of their own. A revised immigration White Paper approved by Cabinet in April 2026 points toward easing this, but it isn't law.
Does the South Africa general work visa lead to permanent residence?
Yes. After holding a work visa for five years, you can apply for permanent residence if your employer offers you permanent employment. Home Affairs' 2026 processing target for permanent residence is 240 working days.
What's the difference between the general work visa and the critical skills visa?
If your occupation is on South Africa's critical skills list, that alone scores the 100 points and you'd apply for the critical skills visa. The general work visa is for jobs that aren't on the list, so you build 100 points from salary, qualifications, experience, language and employer status.
Got an offer from a South African employer?
Talk it through with an Expatsi advisor before you file, from the points math to what your family needs.
Why not you?