# Foreign spouse working for yourself without a Work Endorsement??



## Will2016 (Apr 25, 2016)

Hi all

My question relates to working for yourself in SA as a foreigner (while being married to a South African).

My wife (foreign) and I (South African) would like to set up a small shop. Given that I am full-tiume employed, she will run the shop entirely. She is currently on a temporary Spousal Visa without a work endoresement and will only apply for her PR next year.

So, is there any way we can do this and pay my wife a salary without having to go through the process of getting a Work endoresement?

For example, can I register a company and make her a director in the company. Then the Company pays dividends to her (not a salary) as to prevent the company from being in breach of the work endoresement issue?? Or should we just suck it up and go through the process of getting a Work Endorsement?

Any creative ideas would be appreciated...

Thanks in advance


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

Will2016 said:


> Hi all
> 
> My question relates to working for yourself in SA as a foreigner (while being married to a South African).
> 
> ...


First of all, yes, anyone from any country with or without any visa can be a director of a company.

For her to run the business in SA, she will need a business visa/endorsement and not a work visa/endorsement.

You could pay her something, but whatever you call it, it is earned in SA and SARS will tax it and it is income. It does seem that unfortunately you will need some sort of business/work visa for that.

But if you paid some foreign consultant into their foreign account, that is different.


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