# critical skills visa without employer



## ulifw (Nov 21, 2014)

Hello,

a lot of people including me understand that you can get a critical skills visa without having an employer yet. The application form and the hints of the Southafrican embassy in Berlin, Germany now ask for written undertakings of the employer. When I asked if these are really required, they told me that you cannot get a critical skills visa without these undertakings.

Has anyone got experience with applying for a critical skills visa without an employer? I would as well be interested in people who have not suceeded due to missing undertakings of the employer. But certainly I would like most to hear that it works! If you suceeded, please tell me at which embassy or authority you applied.

Experience with this question with the Southafrican Embassy in Berlin are certainly especially interesting for me.

Best regards Uli


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

ulifw said:


> Hello,
> 
> a lot of people including me understand that you can get a critical skills visa without having an employer yet. The application form and the hints of the Southafrican embassy in Berlin, Germany now ask for written undertakings of the employer. When I asked if these are really required, they told me that you cannot get a critical skills visa without these undertakings.
> 
> ...


I've heard the same thing coming out of India recently.

As per the law you do NOT require an employer for the first 12 months. Berlin, however, is probably, other than Moscow and a few others, the WORST place to apply. They are horrid. I would try another place of submission if possible.


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## Portak (Sep 10, 2014)

LegalMan said:


> I've heard the same thing coming out of India recently.
> 
> As per the law you do NOT require an employer for the first 12 months. Berlin, however, is probably, other than Moscow and a few others, the WORST place to apply. They are horrid. I would try another place of submission if possible.


Hi Legalman.

I have sent you an email about my PR application but you havent replied. May you please check for me.


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

Portak said:


> Hi Legalman.
> 
> I have sent you an email about my PR application but you havent replied. May you please check for me.


Hi Portak

Since I cannot see your real name, I don't know who you are  Please refer to your post on this forum when you email me.


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## Portak (Sep 10, 2014)

LegalMan said:


> Hi Portak
> 
> Since I cannot see your real name, I don't know who you are  Please refer to your post on this forum when you email me.


my email address is [removed]

I have forwarded again


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## LegalMan (Dec 26, 2012)

Portak said:


> my email address is [removed]
> 
> I have forwarded again


Thank you, we will revert.


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## Sneha1 (Oct 13, 2014)

I have recently came across the news that if you don't have employment offer, critical visa issued is only for 1 year and otherwise you get a visa for 5 years. Can anyone please tell me if they have came across with this?

News source is South African embassy in India.


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## DumisaniBYO (Sep 12, 2014)

@Sneha1 

I applied for a critical skills visa with the employment contract and i also received a visa for 1 year . Applied within SA


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## Tony556 (Dec 5, 2014)

A critical skills Visa is employer independent., meaning you do not need to have an employer to apply for one. Having an employer will be the key however to being issued with a Visa for longer than 1 year.

The regs prescribe that you need to provide proof of employment within 12 months of being issued with a visa or proof of sufficient financial means in the alternative.

The undertaking by the employer refer to the undertakings on repatriation , there is no longer such a requirement.

Legalman is spot on the issues with the embassy... If you are in Moscow , New Delhi, Berlin or Islamabad you are likely to have a torrid time.. if you can submit elsewhere you are better of doing so... Many of these officials at the Embassies were not trained on the new laws so what is happening is that each embassy has its own set of requirements so it is worth just trying to provide for all their requirements


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## Macharia (Dec 27, 2014)

DumisaniBYO said:


> @Sneha1
> 
> I applied for a critical skills visa with the employment contract and i also received a visa for 1 year . Applied within SA


Congratulations on getting your visa.

I am struggling with mine, even though i have a recommendation letter from the professional body they want proof of application for a registration certificate. 

I applied to the body and they accepted my application. They also assigned me a membership number which appears on my recommendation letter. The embassy says that is not enough.

Am curious to find out, what did you submit as proof for application of registration certificate ?


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## DumisaniBYO (Sep 12, 2014)

Macharia said:


> Congratulations on getting your visa.
> 
> I am struggling with mine, even though i have a recommendation letter from the professional body they want proof of application for a registration certificate.
> 
> ...


I submitted a membership certificate from my relevant body.


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## Klipspringer (Feb 21, 2015)

Macharia said:


> Congratulations on getting your visa.
> 
> I am struggling with mine, even though i have a recommendation letter from the professional body they want proof of application for a registration certificate.
> 
> ...


Hi Macharia

Did you manage to get your visa in the end? Where did you apply from?


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