The South African government has updated its Critical Skills List with two new professions it says are crucial for the country and, thus, available to foreigners looking to apply for permanent residence permits or critical skills work visas.
Recruitment trends also indicate that certain skills and professions are in great demand by companies, so if you are still considering your career options after school, looking to upskill, or make a career change, take note.
In August last year, there were 140 occupations listed as being critically short in South Africa, but this list was updated in October 2023 to include veterinarians and veterinary nurses.
Job hiring developments, meanwhile, show that individuals working in architecture and engineering; marketing; and cleaning, maintenance, and repair are increasingly sought-after.
While Career Junction’s latest Employment Insights report for November shows that hiring activity increased for admin, office, and support, and IT professionals over the past month, it has, in fact, slowed down over the past three months. There was also a three-month decline in job hiring for positions in the business and management sector.
During this period, however, there was an increase in recruitment for professionals in architecture and engineering (8 percent), cleaning, maintenance, and repair (5 percent), and marketing (4 percent).
Skills shortages in South Africa
Analysis of recruitment trends over the past six months shows there to be severe shortages of skills in these sectors:
– Information Technology
– Finance
– Engineering
– Medical and Health
When looking at specific types of professionals in high demand, though, Career Junction reveals that IT professionals remain at the top in terms of scarce talent in South Africa. Specifically, IT professionals in these areas are sought-after:
– Software development
– Technical/business architecture
– Database design/development/administration
– Systems analysis
– Data analysis/data warehousing
– Business analysis
Furthermore, the report notes that although the following finance skills are high in demand, recruitment to find the right talent is difficult:
– Actuarial management/administration
– Taxation
– Financial analysis
– External auditing
– Investment management
“Other severe skill shortages are evident in engineering, particularly civil/structural engineering, as well as medical professionals, especially professionals in nursing/professional care giving.”
Spotlight on South Africa’s most severe skills shortages
Career Junction highlights the most crucial roles needed in the country as well as the provinces such professionals are most needed and what salaries they can expect:
1. Software development
These professionals are in very high demand in Gauteng and the Western Cape, and in high demand in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. Software developers, programmer analysts, and developer programmers are on the Critical Skills List.
- Average stay by candidates in their jobs: 1 year and 4 months
- Market-related salary offers: R40,000 to R60,000 per month
- Work-from-home opportunities: Many
2. Technical/business architecture
These professionals are in high demand in Gauteng and in medium demand in the Western Cape.
Applications programmers are on the Critical Skills List.
- Average stay by candidates in their jobs: 4 years and 1 month
- Market-related salary offers: R65,000 to R95,000 per month
- Work-from-home opportunities: Limited
3. Database design/development/administration
These professionals are in high demand in Gauteng and in medium demand in the Western Cape
These professionals, however, are not on the Critical Skills List.
- Average stay by candidates in their jobs: 3 year and 6 months
- Market-related salary offers: R45,000 to R65,000 per month
- Work-from-home opportunities: Limited
4. Actuarial management/administration
These professionals are in medium demand in Gauteng and the Western Cape.
Actuaries are on the Critical Skills List.
- Average stay by candidates in their jobs: 4 years
- Market-related salary offers: R62,948 to R74,834 per month
- Work-from-home opportunities: Limited
5. Taxation
These professionals are in high demand in Gauteng and in medium demand in the Western Cape.
Tax professionals are on the Critical Skills List.
- Average stay by candidates in their jobs: 3 years and 10 months
- Market-related salary offers: R30,900 to R39,800 per month
- Work-from-home opportunities: Limited
6. Systems analysis
These professionals are in high demand in Gauteng and in medium demand in the Western Cape.
ICT systems analysts are on the Critical Skills List.
- Average stay by candidates in their jobs: 3 years and 8 months
- Market-related salary offers: R40,000 to R50,000 per month
- Work-from-home opportunities: Hardly any
7. Financial analysis
These professionals are in high demand in Gauteng and in medium demand in the Western Cape.
Financial analysis professionals are not on the Critical Skills List.
- Average stay by candidates in their jobs: 2 years and 11 months
- Market-related salary offers: R40,000 to R54,083 per month
- Work-from-home opportunities: Limited
8. Civil/structural engineering
These professionals are in high demand in Gauteng and in medium demand in the Western Cape and KZN.
Civil Engineers are on the Critical Skills List.
- Average stay by candidates in their jobs: 3 years and 6 months
- Market-related salary offers: R41,667 to R65,833 per month
- Work-from-home opportunities: None
9. External auditing
These professionals are in medium demand in Gauteng and the Western Cape.
External auditors are on the Critical Skills List.
- Average stay by candidates in their jobs: 3 years and 3 months
- Market-related salary offers: R33,333 to R44,000 per month
- Work-from-home opportunities: A fair amount
10. Nursing/professional care giving
These professionals are in high demand in Gauteng and the Western Cape, and in medium demand in KZN and the Eastern Cape.
There are six types of registered nurses on the Critical Skills List:
– Intensive/critical care nursing
– Mental health (psychiatric) nursing
– Peri-operative nursing (theatre technique)
– Emergency nursing (trauma)
– Child nursing (paediatrics)
– Midwife specialist
- Average stay by candidates in their jobs: 5 years and 10 months
- Market-related salary offers: R27,100 to R46,000 per month
- Work-from-home opportunities: None
11. Data analysis/data warehousing
These professionals are in very high demand in Gauteng, in high demand in the Western Cape, and in medium demand in KZN.
Data scientists are on the Critical Skills List.
- Average stay by candidates in their jobs: 4 years and 1 month
- Market-related salary offers: R40,000 to R60,000 per month
- Work-from-home opportunities: A fair amount
12. Business analysis
These professionals are in very high demand in Gauteng and in high demand in the Western Cape.
Business Analysis professionals are not on the Critical Skills List.
- Average stay by candidates in their jobs: 3 years and 11 months
- Market-related salary offers: R41,667 to R60,000 per month
- Work-from-home opportunities: Limited
13. Investment management
These professionals are in high demand in Gauteng and the Western Cape.
Investment analysts, investment managers, and investment advisors are on the Critical Skills List.
- Average stay by candidates in their jobs: 3 years and 7 months
- Market-related salary offers: R36,500 to R42,500 per month
- Work-from-home opportunities: Limited
Meanwhile, the government’s updated Critical Skills List describes its two new professions as well as their minimum qualifications:
1. Veterinarian
– Description: Veterinarians diagnose, prevent, and treat diseases, injuries, and dysfunctions of animals. They may provide care to a wide range of animals or specialise in the treatment of a particular animal group, in a particular specialty area, or provide professional services to commercial firms producing biological and pharmaceutical products.
– Minimum qualification required: Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc): NQF Level 8 or Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (BVMCh): NQF Level 8
2. Veterinary nurse
– Description: Cares for animals under treatment or in temporary residence at veterinary facilities and assists veterinarians to perform procedures and operations.
– Minimum qualification required: National Diploma of Veterinary Nursing (DVN): NQF Level or Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing: NQF Level 7
IOL Business