Keen to move to South Africa

Hi Steve

As your wife is a South African national, you may apply for a Spousal Permit. This permit would allow you to reside in South Africa.

One can add either a work endorsement (allowing you to work for a company) or a business endorsement (allowing you to run your own business) to the Spousal Permit.

The benefit is that prospective employers do not need to go through the normal and lengthy procedures in order for you to apply for the permit (usual requirements are an advert by the employer, a qualifications check for you and other legal requirements). All these fall away if you are married to a South African.

In terms of job search, yes Affirmative Action plays a big part, however if you have something to offer which a prospective employer is looking for, then AA becomes less important.

There are a number of job websites for South Africa. The most useful I have found is www.careerjunction.co.za

Regarding your child (and the second on the way), have you obtained South African birth certificates for them? This is advisable if you are considering moving to South Africa, as they would not need a permit as South African citizens. But for this their birth first needs to be registered with the South African embassy.

Hope this provides you with a better picture. But please let me know if there is anything else.