

Jobs in South Africa – Living and Working
Cape Town is a fascinating, beautiful city that is very attractive to expats. It is home to a number of major industries across finance, energy and the service sector, and according to Mercer’s Cost of Living Index, it’s the least expensive city in the region to live, so you can really make the most of the financial opportunity here.
Not only that, but you need to consider your work/life balance when you move to a new country to work, and Cape Town has plenty to see and do to encourage a healthy amount of fun and entertainment.
Jobs in Cape Town
Cape Town offers a wealth of employment opportunities, particularly around the emerging tech scene – major national companies are joined by international organisations too, with Amazon having a base of operations in the city. Finance is also a major player in the jobs market, with Old Mutual the largest financial company to be founded here. That means admin, accounting and customer service professionals are in high demand, with positions at ground, team leader and account management levels. Translators and multilingual workers are especially welcomed.
Permits when working in Cape Town
When you’re moving to a new country, the thought of finding accommodation can be a little bit daunting. Choose to move to Cape Town using our services though, and our client will provide your accommodation for the first three months, giving you plenty of time to find something more permanent.
When you’re searching for property, it’s best to try websites such as PrivateProperty.co.za or Property24.co.za, with thousands of apartments and houses to buy or rent. Typically when renting you’ll need a deposit of one month’s rent, although some landlords are now asking for up to two months’ rent as a deposit, so it’s worth checking when you apply.
Permits and taxes when working in Cape Town
You’ll need to apply for a visa to live in South Africa, and a general working visa too in order to get a job. Applying for an entry visa will mean a trip to the South African consulate, where you’ll need copies of your ID as well as medical test documents and a criminal clearance certificate. For the working visa, you’ll need to also have a job already lined up, and the employer needs to prove that they tried to employ a South African citizen before hiring you – usually by providing copies of job adverts from the local media.
When you first move to South Africa, you’ll only pay income tax on your earnings from South Africa sources. After five years you’ll be classed as a resident if you’ve spent at least 91 days in the country in each of those five years, and a total of at least 915 days in the country over the whole period. Then you’ll need to pay income tax on your worldwide earnings.
The income tax bands are a little more complex, as they include a mix of set tax amounts and then a percentage of earnings. There are 7 tax bands in total, but to give you an example, if you earn between 195,851 and 305,850 rands, you’ll be taxed 35,253 rands plus 26% of earnings above 195,850. If you earn less than 195,850 rands (roughly £10,000) you won’t be taxed.
Additional Info
- ContentExtraTop:
Jobs in Cape Town
Cape Town offers a wealth of employment opportunities, particularly around the emerging tech scene – major national companies are joined by international organisations too, with Amazon having a base of operations in the city. Finance is also a major player in the jobs market, with Old Mutual the largest financial company to be founded here. That means admin, accounting and customer service professionals are in high demand, with positions at ground, team leader and account management levels. Translators and multilingual workers are especially welcomed.
Permits when working in Cape Town
When you’re moving to a new country, the thought of finding accommodation can be a little bit daunting. Choose to move to Cape Town using our services though, and our client will provide your accommodation for the first three months, giving you plenty of time to find something more permanent.
When you’re searching for property, it’s best to try websites such as PrivateProperty.co.za or Property24.co.za, with thousands of apartments and houses to buy or rent. Typically when renting you’ll need a deposit of one month’s rent, although some landlords are now asking for up to two months’ rent as a deposit, so it’s worth checking when you apply.
- ContentExtraBottom:
Permits and taxes when working in Cape Town
You’ll need to apply for a visa to live in South Africa, and a general working visa too in order to get a job. Applying for an entry visa will mean a trip to the South African consulate, where you’ll need copies of your ID as well as medical test documents and a criminal clearance certificate. For the working visa, you’ll need to also have a job already lined up, and the employer needs to prove that they tried to employ a South African citizen before hiring you – usually by providing copies of job adverts from the local media.
When you first move to South Africa, you’ll only pay income tax on your earnings from South Africa sources. After five years you’ll be classed as a resident if you’ve spent at least 91 days in the country in each of those five years, and a total of at least 915 days in the country over the whole period. Then you’ll need to pay income tax on your worldwide earnings.
The income tax bands are a little more complex, as they include a mix of set tax amounts and then a percentage of earnings. There are 7 tax bands in total, but to give you an example, if you earn between 195,851 and 305,850 rands, you’ll be taxed 35,253 rands plus 26% of earnings above 195,850. If you earn less than 195,850 rands (roughly £10,000) you won’t be taxed.
- ExtraButton:Jobs in South Africa
Please complete the form to download this document: