President Ramaphosa said government is also streamlining and
modernising the visa application process to make it easier to travel to South
Africa for tourism, business and work.
In his State of the Nation Address delivered in Cape Town
this evening, President Ramaphosa said the revised Critical Skills List has
been published for the first time since 2014, following detailed technical work
and extensive consultations with business and labour.
"The updated list reflects the skills that are in
shortage today, to ensure that our immigration policy matches the demands of
our economy," President Ramaphosa said.
He said a comprehensive review of the work visa system is
currently underway, led by a former Director-General of Home Affairs, Mavuso
Msimang.
"This review is exploring the possibility of new visa
categories that could enable economic growth, such as a start-up visa and a
remote working visa," President Ramaphosa said.
President Ramaphosa said the world over, the ability to
attract skilled immigrants is the hallmark of a modern, thriving economy.
The South Africa e-visa application is aimed to make more
fluid the immigration process and to amplify the border security checks.
It allows eligible citizens to enter the country without
going to an embassy.
The e-Visa enables the prospective visitor to apply for a
Visa from his/her home country online without visiting the Mission and also pay
the visa fee online.
On arrival, the visitor presents the authorisation to the
immigration authorities who would then stamp the entry into the country.
The South Africa online visa is aimed at being available to
a larger number of nationalities, such as the United States, Australia, Canada,
and all European Union member states.