Free briefings, guides and tools to help you understand your options and prepare before you apply.
100
points to qualify
Interactive tool · Free
Score yourself against the gazetted points table for the general and critical skills work visas in under a minute.
Calculate your pointsInsight briefing · 5 pages · October 2026
On 9 October 2026 the Director-General withdrew the directive that opened Refugee Reception Offices to everyone wanting to claim asylum. Here is what it means for asylum seekers, and why it does not touch work, study or family visas.
For: Visa and permit applicants, and asylum seekers, affected by the directive and the court ruling behind it
Insight briefing · 6 pages · October 2026
Zimbabwean Exemption Permits are valid until 28 May 2027, the consultation is over and a report is due to Cabinet by March 2027. An analysis of the law, the court cases and the realistic scenarios for holders.
For: Zimbabwean Exemption Permit holders, their families and their employers
Insight briefing · 6 pages · October 2026
Leaving South Africa after your visa has expired leads to a Form 19 and a ban of one to five years. The deadlines are short, the routes are often confused, and good evidence makes the difference.
For: Anyone who has overstayed, or been declared undesirable on a Form 19
Insight briefing · 6 pages · October 2026
Being “V-listed” can stop you at the airport, block a VFS application or cost you a job. What the listing actually is, the two very different legal statuses behind it, and the process for having it lifted.
For: People flagged on the Home Affairs V-list as prohibited or undesirable
Insight briefing · 5 pages · October 2026
Since October 2024, general work and critical skills visas are decided on a 100-point test. The real thresholds, the figure most websites get wrong, and worked examples to see where you stand.
For: Professionals and employers applying for a general or critical skills work visa
Insight briefing · 5 pages · October 2026
The labour certificate is waived, yet the general work visa remains the route most applicants struggle with. The difficulty has moved: from a labour-market test to a points threshold that most ordinary salaries cannot reach.
For: Applicants and employers weighing the general work visa
Insight briefing · 5 pages · October 2026
Since October 2024 a Ministerial blanket waiver has dispensed with the labour certificate for general work visas decided under the points system. Who it covers, what it does not do, and why applying for a waiver when you already hold a certificate is a mistake.
For: Employers and applicants dealing with the labour certificate requirement
Insight briefing · 6 pages · October 2026
A practical guide to sections 26 and 27 of the Immigration Act as they apply in October 2026: who qualifies, how long Home Affairs says it will take, and the mistakes that cost applicants their status.
For: Visa holders, spouses, retirees and investors planning permanent residence
Leave your name and email and the PDF is yours. We may send you an occasional update; you can unsubscribe at any time.
Each briefing states the law as at its date. When the law changes, we revise it and show the new date.
A briefing explains the rules. It cannot weigh your own facts. For that, book a consultation.
The briefing
An email from Owen Magocha when a directive, judgment or regulation changes what you can do. No more than twice a month.
Start a short assessment, or book a consultation with our team in Pretoria or Harare.
