Transit Visas Out, Foreign Employees In

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs recently suspended all transit visa requirements - meaning anyone can now pass through South Africa to another country without having to do any SA paperwork - and has also signalled its intention to extend the length of work permits for foreigners deployed here by multinationals.

Currently, work visas for employees of multinationals are good for just two years. This will soon officially be extended to five years - and in the meanwhile, corporations can approach Home Affairs for leeway with new, pending and soon-to-expire papers.

If it’s your fate to be a multinational employee, consider taking advantage. The plain fact is that Cape Town’s one of the best places to be based in the world. The lifestyle is splendid, the exchange rate is good, and the chance to explore the rest of the continent never better. So put in that transfer application now! Better yet - why not pioneer your company’s first Cape Town branch?