# Critical Skills Visa - Council Registration



## Klipspringer (Feb 21, 2015)

Can anyone tell me if candidate registration with the professional body is sufficient to obtain the visa or does it have to be professional registration? I'm assuming this will not be sufficient for permanent residence but for the TRP?


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## maverick.s (Jan 22, 2015)

Hi

Well, just wondering if you are talking about the architecture profession. If yes, then I can surely tell you that candidate registration is good enough. 
Also, if it IS the architectural field that you are talking about here then I have a few queries myself.

Cheers


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## Klipspringer (Feb 21, 2015)

Hi Maverick, the answer is yes and no. It's complicated! SACAP will only allow my partner to register as a candidate architectural draughtsperson at the moment because SAQA evaluated his Building Engineering degree as a Civil Engineering degree which is neither here nor there. The degree doesn't exist in SA but in Italy it qualifies you in both fields (Architecture and Engineering) as long as you pass the necessary state exams. So next step will be to go back to SAQA to change the certificate to Architecture or as a last resort to get the visa with registration as a candidate draughtsperson (what a joke). Aren't you glad you're not us? :-D

Anyway, what was your question? Not sure if I will have any answers for you but maybe someone else does.


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## maverick.s (Jan 22, 2015)

Yeah. I can understand the frustration. I myself at first decided to go through CRITICAL SKILLS route because I have an architecture degree. Turns out, its not just expensive to register as candidate Architect (as I will be paying in Indian Rupees) but also too risky with the kind of documents SAQA required before I could even submit my application to SACAP. If they lose the documents, I lose the money too.

So, I simply decided to go through Relatives visa route as my husband is South African.
Anyway, the interesting thing is when I went for a job interview in JoBurg with an Architectural firm, I came to know that getting registered is not really necessary unless you have your own practice. This makes it really ridiculous for the immigration body to ask for this. 

So my query was basically about the SACAP registration process. It asks on the form to submit a ''mentor letter'' which means you already need to have a job before you can get registered. But that's a catch 22 situation as one does not really need a job before applying for critical skills. Isn't that right?


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## Klipspringer (Feb 21, 2015)

SAQA has recently changed their requirements and it is now possible to send them certified copies of your documents instead of originals (how crazy was that, anyway?!)

Even when you own your own practice you don't need council registration! None of the people my partner interviewed with had council registration, the plans just need to be checked by someone that does, apparently.

So did you get work endorsement on your spousal visa or why are you still interested to find out about the critical skills visa?


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## Klipspringer (Feb 21, 2015)

Oh, yes. You can get the visa without having a job first. There are a lot of things like this that don't make a whole lot of sense. :-(


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## maverick.s (Jan 22, 2015)

I was going to apply for work endorsement with Spousal Visa. But SA embassy in India apparently does not issue endorsement. So I am just going for the one without it and then apply for endorsement once I am in SA. 

I was curious to know about SAQA for just in case I ''have to'' register with SACAP for whatever reasons once I am in SA. 

Although what I am really confused about is how do you provide a ''mentor letter'' for SACAP registration, if you don't have a job yet. Do you know anything about that?


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## Klipspringer (Feb 21, 2015)

There is a stipulation that says you may only apply for the spousal visa work endorsement (visitor's visa section 11(6) ) if you don't qualify to apply for another type of work visa. So since Architecture is on the Critical Skills list they might tell you you need to apply for that. Maybe you can email or call SACAP to ask them. I've had reasonably good response from them so far when I needed to know something.


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## maverick.s (Jan 22, 2015)

Yeah. i have read that too. Fortunately, when I checked with the embassy, they said that if you want to enter the country for work then apply for one of the work permits incl. CS, otherwise just apply for relatives visa. So it's pretty much my choice in the end. 

Thanks for SACAP advice. I'll try that. I sort of gave up after not receiving any responses from anybody in SA over email. 

Good luck with your application. I hope your partner manages to get registered as Candidate Architect. That will be so much better.


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## Klipspringer (Feb 21, 2015)

Thank you, Maverick. I hope so too! 
Yeah, normally government departments or semi state institutions don't answer emails in this country. But so far I've been able to call and email to SACAP (and get responses) so it's worth a try. Good luck!


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## JMountain (10 mo ago)

Hello... please may you advise. 
I am a foreigner studying Architectural Technology in SA. Almost done with it and I have a job offer lined up. 
I want to apply for the Critical Skills Visa. I have tried to read all the requirements as much as I can. The best I can affford is to register with SACAP as a candidate draughtsperson. Questions : Is that good enough for VFS/ SA Home affairs to be able to grant me the Visa? 
And also where does SAQA come in? 
Also as "CANDIDATE" I can register with SACAP without experience behind me, correct? Just my qualification is all they need? And their fees of course. 

Thanks for any clarification given. This is incredibly stressful and I can only manage to apply once so I'm really trying to make sure I have understood all aspects.


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