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Intra-company Transfer Work Visa

South AfricaWork

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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What type of worker, employment situation, occupation or professional activity is this pathway actually designed for?

The intra-company transfer work visa is for an employee of a company abroad who is being transferred to a branch, subsidiary or affiliate of that company in South Africa. The application must be accompanied by a contract of employment with the company abroad valid for not less than six months, so the route assumes an existing employment relationship abroad and a corporate link into South Africa; it is not a route for a new hire from the open market.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The captured source does not define branch, subsidiary or affiliate, nor the degree of ownership required between the two companies.
  • The Immigration Regulations, 2014 were captured as published on 22 May 2014; later amendments to them, including the amendment that inserted regulation 18(12) and (13) referred to by the 2024 points-based system notice, were not captured in this run and could have changed this text.

Does the applicant need a job offer, employer, sponsor, transfer relationship or other employer involvement? What is important about that employer relationship?

Two employers are involved and both carry duties. The company abroad must hold a contract of employment with the applicant valid for not less than six months and must confirm in writing that the foreigner will be transferred to its branch, subsidiary or affiliate in the Republic. The South African branch, subsidiary or affiliate must confirm the transfer, specify the occupation and capacity in which the foreigner will be employed, and undertake to reimburse the Department any costs of deporting the visa holder and any dependent family members. The applicant must also submit the employer's written undertaking accepting deportation costs, and the employer must keep the employee's passport valid for the duration of employment. No Department of Labour certificate is required for this route, unlike the general work visa.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The captured source does not state which of the two companies gives the written deportation undertaking required of every work visa applicant.
  • The Immigration Regulations, 2014 were captured as published on 22 May 2014; later amendments to them, including the amendment that inserted regulation 18(12) and (13) referred to by the 2024 points-based system notice, were not captured in this run and could have changed this text.

What are the few decisive professional characteristics of the pathway: occupation, qualifications, experience, salary, skill level, shortage status, labour-market condition or equivalent?

What distinguishes this route is the corporate relationship and the transfer itself, not a skills list, a salary threshold or a labour-market test. The official Regulations set no points score, no minimum salary, no qualification evaluation by SAQA and no Department of Labour certificate for an intra-company transfer; the decisive facts are a contract of employment with the company abroad valid for at least six months and letters from both companies establishing the transfer and the occupation and capacity. The 2024 points-based system notice applies by its own terms to general work visas and critical skills work visas, and does not mention the intra-company transfer work visa.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The captured sources do not state any minimum salary, qualification or seniority requirement for this route.
  • Government Notice 5448 is dated 18 October 2024 and states no commencement date; no later amendment or replacement of the points-based system was captured in this run.
  • The Immigration Regulations, 2014 were captured as published on 22 May 2014; later amendments to them, including the amendment that inserted regulation 18(12) and (13) referred to by the 2024 points-based system notice, were not captured in this run and could have changed this text.

What work does the permission allow? Is the holder tied to an employer, occupation or sector? Can family accompany where clearly established?

The permission covers the occupation and capacity specified by the South African entity in its transfer letter. Under section 19(5) of the Immigration Act, the Immigration Regulations, 2014 require the employer to ensure that the foreigner is only employed in the specific position for which the visa has been issued, that the employee complies at all times with the Act and the visa conditions, and that a plan is developed for the transfer of skills to a South African citizen or permanent resident. The official sources do not establish what visa accompanying family receives on this route, or its duration.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The captured sources do not state what visa a spouse or dependent child of an intra-company transfer work visa holder receives, or what rights it carries.
  • The captured sources do not state whether the holder may change position within the South African entity.
  • The Immigration Regulations, 2014 were captured as published on 22 May 2014; later amendments to them, including the amendment that inserted regulation 18(12) and (13) referred to by the 2024 points-based system notice, were not captured in this run and could have changed this text.

How long is the permission normally granted for, how is it renewed, and what longer-term residence direction exists if officially stated?

The Immigration Regulations, 2014 state that an intra-company transfer work visa is issued for a period not exceeding four years and is not renewable. The official sources describe no permanent-residence or citizenship step from this visa and no conversion to another visa category.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The captured sources do not state whether the holder may apply for another visa category from within South Africa at the end of the four years.
  • The captured sources do not state any permanent-residence or citizenship pathway attaching to this visa.
  • The Immigration Regulations, 2014 were captured as published on 22 May 2014; later amendments to them, including the amendment that inserted regulation 18(12) and (13) referred to by the 2024 points-based system notice, were not captured in this run and could have changed this text.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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