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Nationals from countries such as Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the USA (among others) do not require visas if they intend to remain in the country for less than 90 days. This has the added benefit of making it easy for those considering immigrating to the country to visit beforehand. If you have an offer of employment and wish to visit the country to attend an interview or simply wish to assess the country, a work-seeker's permit can be applied for. This is NOT a work permit, but simply allows one to enter SA with the intention of meeting with or speaking to your prospective employers. These are valid for a three-month period and if the offer of work is taken up, an application for a work permit must be made.

Work permits, on the other hand, function as a kind of temporary residence visa as they allow foreign nationals to live and work in the country for up to a maximum of twelve months. Extensions to this period, it should be noted, can be applied for. Although there are numerous categories under which applications for work visas can be submitted, persons wishing to invest in the country and highly skilled workers who can contribute to the broadening of South Africa's economy are the two most likely to be given utmost consideration. The tariff for work permit applications is approximately $132.