Introduction
In the last 18 months, South Africa has updated the Critical Skills List twice, and we appreciate the Department of Home Affairs’ commitment to keeping employment sectors well-equipped with international talent.
In South Africa’s latest update of the Critical Skills List, 2 October 2023, candidate engineers were re-added to the list, something we see as excellent news.
Contextualising the Change
In the years following the introduction of the Critical Skills List, candidate engineers were previously able to apply based on their qualifications. However, a directive issued by Home Affairs subsequently withdrew this. Fortunately, this decision has been reversed, with the latest legislation and the Critical Skills List includes candidate engineers again.
Current Challenges and Hurdles
Despite the positive change, the practicality of implementation may face some issues. We reached out to the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), and they revealed that they are currently not issuing certificates for candidate engineers, likely due to legal issues.
Thankfully, these concerns have been relayed to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and we believe that the two will deliberate and find a resolution in the coming weeks.
New Provisions and Guidelines
The revised list does come with specific provisions that candidate engineers must adhere to: candidate engineers need to operate under the guidance of a professional engineer registered with ECSA. This stipulation might be challenging for some companies, especially those without an ECSA-registered engineer on board.
Conclusion
The recent amendments to the Critical Skills List, particularly concerning candidate engineers, paint a promising picture. It signals the DHA’s recognition of the evolving needs of the job market and its willingness to update legislation accordingly. We look forward to sharing even more positive news like this in the future.
Written by Andreas Krensel, Managing Director
Written by Simon Carletti, PR and Creative Supervisor
