# Critical Skills after completing PhD



## Roisined (Jul 25, 2017)

Has anyone had any experiencing of applying for a critical skills visa following completing of a PhD within South Africa? 

I am due to submit soon but my current student visa will expire in Dec before having the degree complete letter. Has anyone else been in this situation? Ideally I don't want to have to leave and work elsewhere and essentially by not being able to apply, SA will loose a resource they have trained and paid for. 

Any advice?


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## topdriver (Apr 11, 2018)

have you studied in SA from undergrad to PHD? 

What are your subject majors at undergrad n honours?


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## Rozay (Apr 2, 2017)

topdriver said:


> have you studied in SA from undergrad to PHD?
> 
> What are your subject majors at undergrad n honours?


Any Phd obtained at a south african university is entitled to Permanent Residence(PR) straight away irrespective of the phd degree/undergrad/honours etc.


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## topdriver (Apr 11, 2018)

I applied for PR using my undergrad degree and got it in 3 months..

So if your undergrad degree is already a critical skill you can submit tomorrow for PR and you will get it within 3 months before study visa expires rather than going back to home country to apply which takes longer..


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## Roisined (Jul 25, 2017)

topdriver said:


> have you studied in SA from undergrad to PHD?
> 
> What are your subject majors at undergrad n honours?



Undergrad is from the UK but Master's degree and PhD are both from SA. Only the PhD is a critical skills in health sciences (Public Health). The masters was development studies and Undergrad was geography so they don't fall under critical skills as far as I know.


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## Roisined (Jul 25, 2017)

Rozay said:


> Any Phd obtained at a south african university is entitled to Permanent Residence(PR) straight away irrespective of the phd degree/undergrad/honours etc.


The problem is my study visa will expire before I have the letter stating 'degree compelte'. There will be about a three month period in between so I'm not sure what my options are there.


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## Roisined (Jul 25, 2017)

topdriver said:


> I applied for PR using my undergrad degree and got it in 3 months..
> 
> So if your undergrad degree is already a critical skill you can submit tomorrow for PR and you will get it within 3 months before study visa expires rather than going back to home country to apply which takes longer..



My undergrad and master's aren't really critical skills - only the Phd is so I'm not sure what to do about the three month period in between study visa expiration and degree complete. I don't really want to have to leave and come back, or leave and never come back to that matter.


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## topdriver (Apr 11, 2018)

Apply for extension in study visa, say Need more time to complete PhD.. then next year apply for PR


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## Roisined (Jul 25, 2017)

topdriver said:


> Apply for extension in study visa, say Need more time to complete PhD.. then next year apply for PR


I've been thinking about doing that....... 

When did you apply for your PR? 3 months seems very quick! Others had told me it took them much longer, although these were based on their spouses and not their skills.


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## topdriver (Apr 11, 2018)

Applied 1st June.. another mate of mine got it in 2 months and he was doing masters.. with PhD should be quicker


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## Roisined (Jul 25, 2017)

topdriver said:


> Applied 1st June.. another mate of mine got it in 2 months and he was doing masters.. with PhD should be quicker


Can I ask which PR you applied for? Extra Ordinary skills?


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## Ronny (Sep 29, 2018)

You can apply for an extension of your study visa within South Africa and once you obtain confirmation of the completion of your PhD, then you may proceed to lodge your PR

You also need to factor in those documents requirements which may take longer to obtain, such as registration with professional body


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## JB1973 (Mar 27, 2019)

*Permanent Residency in SA*



Roisined said:


> Undergrad is from the UK but Master's degree and PhD are both from SA. Only the PhD is a critical skills in health sciences (Public Health). The masters was development studies and Undergrad was geography so they don't fall under critical skills as far as I know.


Hello Roisined 
I have a PhD in Human Movement Science obtained in France in 2003 and a Critical Skill Visa for French Speaking (which is not in the list any more)
I would like to apply for Permanent Residency but I am not sure that my PhD is falling under Citical skills list... I don't know what to do.
Any recommendation ?
Thanks for your answer


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## jejemeneka (Aug 22, 2018)

topdriver said:


> I applied for PR using my undergrad degree and got it in 3 months..
> 
> So if your undergrad degree is already a critical skill you can submit tomorrow for PR and you will get it within 3 months before study visa expires rather than going back to home country to apply which takes longer..


Hi Family,

asking for a friend, he graduated with a master degree in civil engineering, still on student permit until December 2019, he want to apply for PR straight, however still waiting for ECSA letter of registration and don't have any clue when he will get it, any chance that if he apply without the ECSA registration letter he may be granted PR? what are the required documents to submit.


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## Roisined (Jul 25, 2017)

Check the critical skills list - PhD's from outside of South Africa I believe must fall under certain categories.


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