South African Working / Holiday Visa

ANC

Hi Guys,

I'm finding it really hard to find info on a working / working holiday visa for South Africa. I know the regular tourist visa states that you got to get out after 3 months but ideally I'd like to go there for a year and do a bit of work if I need to - hence wanting work visa.

I have an Irish Passport (Irish / EU national).

Does anybody here have any ideas how get this type of visa.

Thanks in advance.

Mike

ANC

**** just saw the "NO WORK VISA" thing on the charter!!

Because it's not OZ / NZ / USA, can it stay??

Balmed Out

Id imagine contact the closest embassy but I cant imagine they would give you one unless your qualified in something highly skilled that their workforce is short of.
Poor countries with high unemployment generally dont.

dory

ANC wrote: »

**** just saw the "NO WORK VISA" thing on the charter!!

Because it's not OZ / NZ / USA, can it stay??

Yea, no problem. That was put there mostly because of the constant flow of J1 threads that should have been in the USA section.

sarkozy

I know people who got some kind of visas working in bars in Cape Town. It can be done. Best advice, as said, is contact the nearest South African Embassy.

Out of curiosity, why South Africa and where do you want to live? I lived in Lesotho, so am always interested in people's reasons for heading down there.

ANC

Thanks for the replies guys.

I've been in touch with South African Embassy in Dublin and I am due to speak with them tomorrow so should get some answers.

Sarkozy, I've always wanted to go there and ideally would like to stay for longer than 3 months (regular tourist visa) so that's kind of the motivation for getting it. Also, my work are keen on doing some business there so it would make things easier if I had some sort of work permit.

I plan to go to Cape Town first, and then travel along the coast (I surf, dive and windsurf and heard SA is unreal for it). More interested in going to the rural areas than the cities (also safer from what I have heard). Just keen to explore really.

How long did you spend in Lesotho? Did you like it?

Cheers

Mike

sarkozy

That's cool. I was there a year and a half. South Africa ... not somewhere I'd live, but I loved being down there. Cape Town is a good city and the closes I got to the feeling of home while there. But the rural areas are fantastic, and yes, infinitely safer. The outdoors pursuits, beer and braais (barbecues) are unreal.

ANC

Good to hear someone did what I'm thinking of doing. How did you get around the visa issue (ie 3months is the standard holiday visa). Did you leave and come back a few times?

I can't wait to go - everyone warns me I'll either get HIV, Shot or eaten by a shark but still keen on going!!!

Thanks for the info, really appreciate it!

sarkozy

Ah, things were easy for me. I was over as a temporary civil servant so the embassy sorted everything for me in Lesotho and for getting South Africa visiting visas/border concessions. I didn't have to get around any visa issue - Lesotho is a separate country, I was a resident there and, as a member of SADC, I could go in and out at will.

Did I leave and come back where many times? I left Lesotho to go into SA all the time, and other countries like Swaziland, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania. No hassles.

I won't lie, your friends and family have justified concerns. If they're afraid of you getting HIV, then just don't be stupid - don't have sex with people you don't know and rubber up (sorry to say, but you're more likely to have sex with someone who is HIV positive if they're black/coloured). As for personal safety, ask locals and do what they do. Lesotho is comparatively safe, but in my time there, one bunch of friends were burgled at gunpoint, one US Peace Corps volunteer was murdered, two friends were in a horrific car accident but thankfully emerged unscathed, a taxi driver in Swaziland took out a gun when we disputed the taxi fare. But honestly, I still look back on that and think that in relation to my own safety issues, I had no hassles, really and felt perfectly laid back. It's true about the SA cities though: be super-careful. Carjackings happen, muggings happen, petty theft happens, walking around at night is stupid. Rule of thumb is: don't be dumb, pay attention and do what locals do, don't get minibus taxis (kombis), only use registered taxis. You'll be fine.

ANC

Hey,

Yeah agree re Safety, HIV etc - don't be stupid is about the best advice!!

Nice one for all the info, really helpful!! Really can't wait to go !!

Mike