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The findings by Xpatweb are supported by the World Economic Forum Jobs Report 2025, which reveals that more than 60% of businesses operating in South Africa view skills gaps as a key barrier to achieving meaningful transformation by 2030. Additionally, over 31% cite the inability to attract skilled talent as a major obstacle to future growth.
Jacobs says as the global competition for critical skills intensifies, now is the time for business leaders to speak out about the skills they simply cannot source locally. “Every day a role remains unfilled due to unavailable local talent is a day of lost productivity and opportunity. This is not just a race against time, it’s a race for economic competitiveness, and South Africa must gain momentum.”
Add Your Voice Through Comprehensive Critical Skills Survey
The Xpatweb Critical Skills Survey 2025, launching today, offers corporations the opportunity to contribute to the robust process currently underway to update the National Critical Skills List. It is vital that businesses participate and share their real-world insights into the skills they are looking for. This input will help ensure the revised Critical Skills List accurately reflects industry needs, and that South Africa’s immigration and visa framework enables timely access to urgently needed skilled professionals.
The list fast-tracks the recruitment of global talent into South Africa if their specific occupation appears on the list. Once included, the listed occupation is intended to benefit from a smoother and expedited Critical Skills Work Visa application.
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA), responsible for publishing the final Critical Skills List, defines critical skills as those crucial for economic growth and without which certain projects and work could not be undertaken. The updated list is expected later in 2025.
Jacobs notes that since 2017, the Xpatweb Critical Skills Survey has grown into the most authoritative private-sector dataset. With more than 500 verified employer respondents, the survey identifies the skills most difficult to find and which must be recruited internationally.
As in previous years, the findings will be shared with the relevant government departments including the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) who is responsible for drafting of the Critical Skills List for comment. DHET sees the Critical Skills Survey as a validation of its own data, offering a high-level view of occupation clusters that are difficult to fill domestically.
As such, the Critical Skills Survey directly supports evidence-based updates to and inclusion on the Critical Skills List.
Tackling More Important Issues in 2025 Survey
To understand the daily issues corporations have to deal with when recruiting global professionals, this year’s Survey touches on the following:
- Does the latest Critical Skills List published cater for the skills your business need?
- What qualification level is required for the occupation(s) you are struggling to fill?
- What skills/experience level is required to fill the occupation(s)?
- To what extent does Critical Skilled vacancies in your organisation impact your operational success and stakeholders?
- Do you perceive the work visa process as a prohibitor to recruit internationally?
- Do you think that dual career and partner issues are becoming more important to your organisation?
The 2025 Survey is the first since the implementation of the Trusted Employer Scheme (TES) and the introduction of new Points-Based System (PBS) for the adjudication for Critical Skills and General Work Visa applications.
“The introduction of the Points-Based System and Trusted Employer Scheme signals a shift toward a modernised immigration regime. But its success hinges on feedback from business. Only those hiring critically skilled professionals daily can assess whether the system delivers on its promises of speed, clarity, and efficiency.”
Participants will also be asked to share the benefits and challenges of being recognised as a Trusted Employer, particularly in relation to faster visa processing times for visa applications and reduced documentation requirements.
Prior Surveys Revealed Crippling Shortages
Since 2017 business indicated it is an uphill battle to recruit engineers, ICT professionals, artisans, foreign language speakers and C-Suite executives.
The 2024 Survey once again showed engineering as the most in-demand skill, with 23% of respondents experiencing shortages. It aligns with data from the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) that South Africa has 1 engineer for every 3,100 people, compared to Germany, which has 1 engineer for every 200 people.
Helping Business, Helping South Africa
Jacobs says by targeting foreign skilled professionals with expertise needed to boost economic growth in South Africa, the country will also address skills shortages, foster innovation, and pave the way for a more prosperous future for all its citizens.
Operation Vulindlela quoted estimates by National Treasury that eliminating the shortage of critical skills can raise potential GDP by up to 1.3 percentage points above the baseline in a 12-year period. The demand for skilled workers is also believed to boost employment and the demand for semi- and unskilled workers.
“We’re at a pivotal moment, our ability to influence immigration policy with real-world business data is unprecedented. The Critical Skills Survey is more than feedback, it is the key to unlocking a future-ready workforce and fixing the structural gap in South Africa’s talent pipeline,” Jacobs says.
She adds: “Strategic immigration is not about bypassing local talent, it is about complementing it. By filling high-impact roles with scarce global skills, we strengthen our industries, transfer knowledge, and create room for growth and investment that benefits every South African.”
