General work permit

APPLICATION FOR A GENERAL WORK PERMIT
Dear Sir/Madam,
We refer to your enquiry and wish to inform you that a foreigner, who intends to conduct work in the Republic
of South Africa, but who does not qualify to apply for a quota work permit, may be issued with a general work
permit. The following documentation must be submitted in respect of each person applying for a general work
permit:
- a fully completed application form including part P, which must be completed by the employer, and
including one (1) passport photograph (see Form BI-1738);
- a passport valid for no less than thirty (30) days after departure from the Republic of South Africa, and
containing at least two (2) blank pages for endorsements (non-German passports must contain a valid
long term or permanent residence permit for the Federal Republic of Germany);
- a contract of employment stipulating the conditions of employment and signed by both the employer
and the applicant;
- proof of qualifications evaluated by the South African Qualifications Authority and translated by a
sworn translator into English;
- proof of experience and skills in line with the job offer;
- a letter from the employer motivating why a citizen or permanent resident could not fill the position, as
well as proof of efforts made to obtain the services of a citizen or resident, together with the
particulars of the unsuccessful candidates;
- proof of publication of an advertisement in the national print media as an original clipping:
a) reflecting the full particulars of the relevant newspaper or magazine;
b) stipulating the minimum qualifications and experience required to fill the position;
c) clearly defining the position offered and the duties to be performed;
d) measuring at least 60 millimetres by 60 millimetres;
e) stating the closing date for the application in the advertisement; and
f) shall not be older than three (3) months at the time of application, which period shall be calculated
from the closing date for applications;
- an undertaking by the employer to inform the Director-General of the Department of Home Affairs
should the applicant not comply with the Immigration Act as amended, or leave the employer;
- if required by law, proof of registration with the relevant professional body, board or council;
- full particulars of the employer, including, if applicable, proof of registration of the business with the
Registrar of Companies;
- a certificate from the Department of Labour or an extract from the database of a salary benchmarking
organisation stipulating the average salary earned by employees occupying similar positions in the
Republic of South Africa;
- a yellow fever vaccination certificate, if the applicant travels from or (in transit) through a yellow fever
endemic area to the Republic of South Africa (see
http://www.suedafrika.org/downloads/Yellow_fever_Policy_brief_2011_26-08-2011.pdf);
- in respect of the applicant’s marital status or spousal relationship, the following documentation shall
be submitted:
a) a marriage certificate in the case of a married applicant;
b) proof of a permanent spousal relationship in the case of so called life partners, including:
i. the prescribed affidavit, which is available on request from our office;
ii. documentation proving cohabitation and the extent to which the related financial
responsibilities are shared by the parties;
iii.
iv.
proof of a legal divorce or the death of a spouse in the event of a preceding marriage; and
in the case of a relationship concluded between two foreigners in a foreign country,
official recognition thereof issued by the authorities of the relevant country;
c) a death certificate in the case of a widowed applicant;
d) a decree of divorce in the case of a divorced applicant; or
e) proof of legal separation in the case of a separated applicant;
- in respect of minor dependent children accompanying the applicant to or joining the applicant in the
Republic, the following documentation shall be submitted:
a) an unabridged birth certificate;
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) proof of adoption, in the case of an adopted minor;
c) proof of guardianship or custody, in the case of a minor subject to guardianship or custody; or
d) consent from the guardian, in the case of an unaccompanied minor;
- a police clearance certificate, issued by the police or security authority in each country where the
applicant resided for 12 months or longer since having attained the age of 18 years, in respect of
criminal records or the character of the applicant, and this certificate shall not be older than six (6)
months at the time of its submission;
- a medical report (see Form BI-811), which shall not be older than six (6) months at the time of its
submission;
- a radiological report (see Form BI-806), which shall not be older than six (6) months at the time of its
submission, and shall not be required in respect of children under the age of 12 years or pregnant
women;
- at the discretion of the Director-General of the Department of Home Affairs, proof of a valid return
flight reservation, payment of a cash deposit of €900,- or written undertaking by the employer
accepting responsibility for the costs related to the deportation of the applicant and his or her
dependent family members, should it become necessary, provided that in the case of a cash deposit,
such deposit which shall be refunded to the applicant after his/her final departure or after a permanent
residence permit has been issued to the applicant;
- cover letter, signed and dated by the applicant, and including his or her valid German mobile phone
number and email address;
- a self-addressed A5-size envelope with postage paid for €3,60 (per Einschreiben), to return the
endorsed passport and personal original documents;
- proof of bank transfer / deposit of the non-refundable application fee of €187,- e.g. copy of transfer
slip.
Only applicants who reside in the following German Federal States (Bundesländer) may submit their
applications at the Embassy in Berlin: Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-
Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt,
Schleswig-Holstein, Thüringen.
Payment of the above-mentioned application fee and cash deposit, if applicable, must be made through an
electronic bank transfer to the following account at least five working (5) days, before submitting the
application (applicants who reside in Bavaria and Baden-Wuertemberg should not transfer payments to
this bank account):
Recipient: Südafrikanische Botschaft
IBAN: DE24 1004 0000 0261 8924 00
BIC:
COBADEFFXXX
Bank name: Commerzbank Berlin (West)
Ref.:
General work permit; (applicant’s name)
Alternatively, a cash payment may be deposited into the Embassy bank account at any Commerzbank
branch, and the deposit confirmation submitted with application. Furthermore the cash deposit, if applicable,
should be transferred / deposited separately from the application fee. Cash payments will not be accepted
at the Embassy from applicants who apply in person.
Kind regards
Consular Section
Embassy of the Republic of South Africa
Tiergartenstr. 18
10785 Berlin
Fax: 030 22073 202
Email: berlin.consular@foreign.gov.za
Website: www.suedafrika.org
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Note:
- A general work permit shall lapse if, within six (6) months of its issuance, and within every year
thereafter, its holder fails to submit to the Director-General of the Department of Home Affairs
confirmation that he or she is still employed and the terms and conditions of his or her employment,
including the job description.
- In respect of a general work permit holder whose employment contract has been terminated, the
permit shall remain valid for a period not longer than six (6) months, until that holder has exhausted all
applicable rights of recourse, provided that the period may be extended for further periods of three (3)
months at a time on submission of proof to the satisfaction of the Director-General of the Department
of Home Affairs that, due to circumstances beyond the control of the holder, the recourse procedures
have not been finalised.
- Should it become evident that the prospective employee i.e. applicant would not be able to meet one
or more of the requirements, the South African employer should request the Director: Permits at the
Department of Home Affairs to waive the requirements in terms of section 31(2)(c) of the Immigration
Act, as amended. The employer must motivate each request with full particulars and background, and
should the waiver be granted, confirmation thereof must be submitted with the application.
- Documentation that accompanies the application shall be original or certified copies and translated
by a sworn translator into English. In the case of German birth, marriage and death certificates,
international versions of these certificates may be submitted.
- A complete application may be either mailed to our office, or submitted personally during the consular
opening hours: Mon-Fri; 09:00-12:00.
- On condition that a complete application has been submitted, the processing period is 8 weeks. We
therefore do not advise applicants to book / purchase flight tickets before their application has been
approved; if required, only a flight reservation must be submitted with an application.
- Applicants who reside in Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg must submit their applications to the
South African Consulate-General in Munich:
South African Consulate-General
Sendlinger-Tor-Platz 5
80336 Munich
Tel: 089 23 11 63 0
Fax: 089 23 11 63 53
Email: munich.consular@foreign.gov.za
- Applicants from Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg who submit their applications at the South
African Consulate-General in Munich, must pay all applicable fees and cash deposits through an
electronic bank transfer to the following account and attach proof of payment in the form of a copy of
the transfer slip (please note that the Consulate-General in Munich does not accept payments in
cash or cheque):
Recipient: Südafrikanisches Generalkonsulat
IBAN: DE26 7008 0000 0356 7199 00
BIC:
DRESDEFF700
Bank name: Commerzbank AG München
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