# PhD holder Critical Skills Visa



## James Makris (Dec 3, 2021)

Good day. I applied for a PhD holder Critical Skills Visa in South Africa and received it early this year. However, under the section "Critical skill'' my visa is written "PhD Holder," and then under the section ''Company'' they wrote the name of the University where I did my PhD studies. I did not have a problem with this until recently when I got a job but could not assume duty because the HR department of that institution indicated that I cannot assume duty because my visa is not valid to work at their institution because the Department of Home Affairs wrote the name of the University where I got my PhD, under the section "Company,'' therefore it looks like I am working at that University where I studied. Is there anyone who applied for a Critical Skills Visa using their PhD that they obtained in South Africa? What was their visa written under the section company? Anyone, can you please advise me on how I should go about this so that I can assume duty.


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## terryZW (Jun 26, 2017)

James Makris said:


> Good day. I applied for a PhD holder Critical Skills Visa in South Africa and received it early this year. However, under the section "Critical skill'' my visa is written "PhD Holder," and then under the section ''Company'' they wrote the name of the University where I did my PhD studies. I did not have a problem with this until recently when I got a job but could not assume duty because the HR department of that institution indicated that I cannot assume duty because my visa is not valid to work at their institution because the Department of Home Affairs wrote the name of the University where I got my PhD, under the section "Company,'' therefore it looks like I am working at that University where I studied. Is there anyone who applied for a Critical Skills Visa using their PhD that they obtained in South Africa? What was their visa written under the section company? Anyone, can you please advise me on how I should go about this so that I can assume duty.


PhD holders are treated just like any other critical skills workers. You need to apply for a change of conditions and to allow you to work for a new employer. You don't just use your old visa until it runs out. On the sticker, critical skill means the specific skill/category you are endorsed for and company means the company that has offered you the job based on said skill. Did you include the job offer in your application?


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## James Makris (Dec 3, 2021)

terryZW said:


> PhD holders are treated just like any other critical skills workers. You need to apply for a change of conditions and to allow you to work for a new employer. You don't just use your old visa until it runs out. On the sticker, critical skill means the specific skill/category you are endorsed for and company means the company that has offered you the job based on said skill. Did you include the job offer in your application?


Thanks for your response. To respond to your question, In my visa application I did not include any job offer letter because at that time I did not have any job offer. I only applied using my PhD Qualification. Thinking of it now, perhaps my Visa was supposed to be written "None" under Company, instead of writing the name of the University where I studied.


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## terryZW (Jun 26, 2017)

James Makris said:


> Thanks for your response. To respond to your question, In my visa application I did not include any job offer letter because at that time I did not have any job offer. I only applied using my PhD Qualification. Thinking of it now, perhaps my Visa was supposed to be written "None" under Company, instead of writing the name of the University where I studied.


The only mistake is that they gave you a normal critical skills visa, as opposed to a 12 month jobseeker one but regardless, you would have needed to apply again after getting a job. A critical skills visa is not an “open” visa - it’s linked to an employer so requires a change of conditions each time


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## James Makris (Dec 3, 2021)

James Makris said:


> Thanks for your response. To respond to your question, In my visa application I did not include any job offer letter because at that time I did not have any job offer. I only applied using my PhD Qualification. Thinking of it now, perhaps my Visa was supposed to be written "None" under Company, instead of writing the name of the University where I studied.





terryZW said:


> The only mistake is that they gave you a normal critical skills visa, as opposed to a 12 month jobseeker one but regardless, you would have needed to apply again after getting a job. A critical skills visa is not an “open” visa - it’s linked to an employer so requires a change of conditions each time
> [/QUOTE
> Okay. So even if I had got the 12 month job seeker one, I could not use it to assume duty while I apply for the extension of the job seeker one using the new job offer letter?


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## samtol (Apr 5, 2019)

James Makris said:


> Good day. I applied for a PhD holder Critical Skills Visa in South Africa and received it early this year. However, under the section "Critical skill'' my visa is written "PhD Holder," and then under the section ''Company'' they wrote the name of the University where I did my PhD studies. I did not have a problem with this until recently when I got a job but could not assume duty because the HR department of that institution indicated that I cannot assume duty because my visa is not valid to work at their institution because the Department of Home Affairs wrote the name of the University where I got my PhD, under the section "Company,'' therefore it looks like I am working at that University where I studied. Is there anyone who applied for a Critical Skills Visa using their PhD that they obtained in South Africa? What was their visa written under the section company? Anyone, can you please advise me on how I should go about this so that I can assume duty.


 The mistake is from home affairs . Mine was written post graduate and yo seek employment within one year. They are not suppose to write the name of the school. However quickly apply for change of condition . You will the appointment letter to do so


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