Foreign professionals say no to South Africa

Foreign professionals are increasingly turning away from South Africa due to restrictive partner work rules that make it difficult for highly skilled individuals and their spouses to live and work in the country.

This is according to Xpatweb, which said South Africa recently lost two distinguished international scientists who were set to make a major contribution to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project.

Worryingly, this was all due to an avoidable reason. In terms of South Africa’s immigration rules, the spouse, who is also a sought-after scientist, was not granted direct work access under her husband’s critical skills work visa.

A senior Department of Home Affairs official shared this during a feedback session about South Africa’s Trusted Employer Scheme.

Although the wife applied separately for a work visa in another category, delays and administrative setbacks forced her to return home first. Her husband, unwilling to stay in South Africa indefinitely without her, chose to leave too.

Within weeks, Australia secured both scientists, where they were assured of employment without obstacles.

Xpatweb said this case reflects broader findings from local and international surveys showing that partner work restrictions are a major deterrent for highly skilled professionals considering global assignments.

Permits Foundation director Helen Frew noted that their latest survey has found this to be a growing trend among skilled professionals.

In the prior three years, 44% of responding organisations had seen globally mobile professionals in highly skilled positions return home early from a foreign assignment due to concerns about their partner’s employment in the host country.

Xpatweb managing director Marisa Jacobs also pointed to an important finding in the 2025 Xpatweb Critical Skills Survey, where companies in South Africa identify the scarce skills that they struggle to recruit locally.

Notably, 84% of participating companies cited that dual-career issues are increasingly important among foreign hires.

Trends change among global hires

Frew said the trend is clear – global talent assesses opportunities not only on salary or benefits but also on how easily their partners can integrate into the host country.

The Permits Foundation, which advocates for direct partner work access globally, also had some noteworthy findings:

• 94% of global mobility professionals believe that family members should receive automatic work authorisation upon recognition of their dependant status
• 60% of respondents report that international employees ask whether accompanying partners can work virtually from the receiving country
• 56% of partners who are unable to work report a negative impact on their mental wellbeing
• 26% of partner respondents were considering leaving the host country due to work access restrictions

Frew stressed that 91% of employers agree that partner work authorisation improves their ability to attract top global talent.

Therefore, South Africa cannot risk deterring highly skilled global professionals by not allowing accompanying partners direct work access. “We found that 88% of partners hold a bachelor’s degree or higher,” she said.

“Yet 53% are unemployed in the host country, even though 84% of them want to work. This is a pool of highly skilled, globally mobile talent that South Africa is currently failing to tap.”

The 2025 Xpatweb Critical Skills Survey also noted some other findings which show why South Africa is becoming less attractive to foreign professionals –

• 68% of international professionals enquire whether their partners can work in the host country before accepting a position in South Africa. This demonstrates that partner work access is a deciding factor in whether top-tier talent chooses South Africa or not.
• 62% of companies have received enquiries in the past two years about whether partners may work virtually while in South Africa.

Jacobs said many accompanying partners are highly skilled and could also qualify for a Critical Skills Work Visa, but the process is complicated.

The spouse or partner will require an employment offer. Although they can apply for a work visa in South Africa, authorisation is not a given.

Granting these partners direct work access in South Africa would enable them to contribute economically to the country.

They would be able to start businesses and create employment through support roles such as childcare, transport, and household assistance, she adds.

The notion that global talent can help unlock economic growth and create jobs was reinforced by Deputy Minister of Finance Ashor Sarupen at the Xpatweb Global Mobility Conference in August 2025.

“For every one highly skilled employee brought into the country, seven unskilled jobs are created,” Sarupen explained.

Policy developments

South Africa is currently a priority country for the Permits Foundation, which has welcomed recent positive developments.

The draft National Labour Migration Policy includes consideration of work access for spouses of critical skills visa holders and possibly inter-company transfers.

In the document, the Department of Employment and Labour supported “automatic issuance of work visa for spouses” and cites it as a decisive factor in the retention of highly skilled migrants.

Since 2001, the Foundation has contributed to policy change, with more than 40 countries now allowing accompanying spouses or partners to work under their dependent visa status. Ireland is among the latest to adopt reforms in 2024.

In 2024, Ireland’s Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Peter Burke stated that the changes “ensure that Ireland attracts those skilled workers who might not otherwise come to Ireland if their spouse or partner cannot work”.

The foundation has also supported ongoing reforms in Costa Rica, where new legislation is currently being developed. This followed an evidence-based submission it made to the Costa Rican government.

The foundation also worked with local networks, contributing to high-level meetings and providing global data to support direct work access for certain categories of dependents.

As a critical element for economic growth and South Africa’s global competitiveness, Xpatweb stressed that partner work access cannot remain an afterthought.

South Africa must align with global best practices on partner work authorisation to avoid stories like those of the SKA scientists, and prevent the country’s talent pipeline from shrinking.

Jacobs said straightforward policy reform can prevent similar losses, and the current positive momentum in this regard should be maintained.