# Quota Permit to Permanent Residence



## IamT (Aug 4, 2014)

Hi Guys,

Thank you all for keeping this forum alive-some really wonderful advise is to be found on here.

Here is my question ;
I am on a Quota Work Permit (Risk Management) and have been on it for the past 4 months-I applied for it in April 2014 and it only came out in Oct 2014.

Since the Quota work permit has been abolished and replaced by the Critical Skills Visa,am I still allowed to apply for the Permanent Residence Permit based on the Quota Work Permit like how the current Critical Skills Visa holders are allowed to do before they have been in SA for 5 years? 

Has anyone applied after May 2014 for PR based on Quota and got a response from VFS or Home Affairs?

I have tried to get information from VFS and Home Affairs but they seem not to know themselves with different consultants giving different responses.

I have a Permanent Offer of employment and I would still qualify for a Critical Skills Visa if I wanted one.

Thanking You All,


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## Fynbos (Jan 8, 2015)

Hi IamT

You certainly have done some research!

Yes, you will still be able to apply for PR.
The new Immigration Act specifically mentions quota work permit holders who want to apply for PR in Section 27(a), granted that you fall within the categories of Section 19(1) [which refers to the old quota work permits] and you have an offer of permanent employment - both of which apply to you.

You will simply have to ensure that you remain on a valid visa until such time as your PR is issued. If a renewal is to be done during that time, you will have to apply under the Critical Skills visa.

All the best,


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## IamT (Aug 4, 2014)

Thank You Fynbos.

This puts my mind at ease...I will have to commence collection of all the required documentation now with the hardest one to get being the Police Clearance from my home country entailing I have to travel back there to get it.

Since my Quota has 3 years to go I think I am still safe but I need to apply for PR now so that if there are any delays I wont be in a panic.

Thanks again


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## Fynbos (Jan 8, 2015)

Those PCC's can be quite the headache.
But as you said, you've got ample time.

Just take note that PR applications can take anything from 8-18 months. Although VFS will say 8-10 months, in our experience, it is usually longer.

We hope it works out,


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## mbizi21 (Feb 7, 2015)

Fynbos said:


> Those PCC's can be quite the headache.
> But as you said, you've got ample time.
> 
> Just take note that PR applications can take anything from 8-18 months. Although VFS will say 8-10 months, in our experience, it is usually longer.
> ...


Yoh, 18 months? That's like a year!!


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## Fynbos (Jan 8, 2015)

Indeed.
That would be on the extreme end (not the most extreme though) of the spectrum.
The general feedback at the moment is that applications take about 12 months as DHA is processing and issuing applications submitted in Jan/Feb last year.


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## Portak (Sep 10, 2014)

Fynbos said:


> Indeed.
> That would be on the extreme end (not the most extreme though) of the spectrum.
> The general feedback at the moment is that applications take about 12 months as DHA is processing and issuing applications submitted in Jan/Feb last year.


Hi Fynbos,

Do you know if it's true that they processed applications that were submitted after Jan/Feb. I submitted mine in Jan last year but still awaiting and some of my colleagues who submitted after me have got theirs.


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## salis (Jan 7, 2015)

Portak said:


> Hi Fynbos,
> 
> Do you know if it's true that they processed applications that were submitted after Jan/Feb. I submitted mine in Jan last year but still awaiting and some of my colleagues who submitted after me have got theirs.


Hi Portak,

I submitted mine in March and still waiting, a friend of mine submitted his in April he got it, other one submitted his the same month but still waiting. This mean that with the home affairs is just a matter of luck!


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## Skilled (May 10, 2011)

salis said:


> Hi Portak,
> 
> I submitted mine in March and still waiting, a friend of mine submitted his in April he got it, other one submitted his the same month but still waiting. This mean that with the home affairs is just a matter of luck!


It depends with the person who is working on your file. Even at the port of entry, you see some work faster, some they don't. And their attitude differs too. You might also have your officer resigned or promoted, leaving the files with no-one to attend to for sometime. 

But all in all, the difference shouldn't be more than 2 months. All the best guys. ID applications are something else too. I have been waiting from mine since early last year.


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## Fynbos (Jan 8, 2015)

The general feedback that we are getting is that they are processing applications now submitted early last year, but this is just a rule of thumb. We also have another outstanding applications from 2013.

As Skilled said, there are a lot of variables and it is not necessarily a case of "first in, first out".


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## SayansiScope (Apr 19, 2014)

Fynbos said:


> The general feedback that we are getting is that they are processing applications now submitted early last year, but this is just a rule of thumb. We also have another outstanding applications from 2013.
> 
> As Skilled said, there are a lot of variables and it is not necessarily a case of "first in, first out".


Hi Fynbos,

Does this also apply to applications submitted via the VFS systems (i.e., after the new regulations)?


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