Relocate South Africa

This is our free guide and information on immigrating or relocating to South Africa. For comprehensive and specific country information you may visit your specific country located South African Embassy. Visa Information for Visiting South Africa
Not all countries require a visa to visit South Africa. A South African embassy near you will give advice on whether you need a visa or not. You may also check with the SA Department of Home Affairs website to verify if your country is exempted from SA visas and fees.

If you want to extend your temporary stay in South Africa, you may apply for an extension with the Department of Foreign Affairs. However if you are relocating or staying much longer to work, volunteer or study, you will need a study or work permit.

Work Permits for Immigrating to South Africa
You may have heard that there is some shortage of skilled workers in South Africa. Skilled South Africans are marketable that they can choose which country to work in. I suppose that is the case with skilled labor anywhere else in the world. If one is looking for a work permit, they have to fall under the scarce skills categories. This applies to those who don’t already have job offers from the country. If you are an entrepreneur or possess the scarce skill, you may relocate to South Africa to set up your business or look for a job.

Study Permits for Studying in South Africa
When you relocate South Africa to study you will need a study permit. South African institutions of higher learning like universities and colleges have a good academic reputation. International students who are interested to pursue their studies in the country can make enquiries with the Department of Home Affairs. It is after you have a valid study permit that you can be allowed to study at a South African institution. Contact the nearest South African Mission for help in this regard.

Relocate South Africa is a company that helps with immigration processes. You may contact them for assistance with relocating to South Africa.

Money and Banking in Pretoria South Africa
South Africa's unit of currency is the rand. It is generally weaker in comparison with the US dollar. This has been the main attraction for tourists and investors in the country. There are a number of banks and setting up an account is a few minutes’ job. The only required documents include a proof of residence, Identity Document or passport and maybe proof of employment. Employers know how to handle these issues and will assist you all the way. Apart from the four big banks; Standard Bank, FNB, Nedbank and ABSA, there are a number of other banks and foreign exchange services. These add up to about 33 banking institutions and 46 foreign banks represented.

Day to day withdrawals can be done in a number of ATMs. Major credit cards are accepted throughout South Africa, especially the leading MasterCard and Visa. The airports and banks have the currency exchange services. The banking industry in South Africa is very stable and well regulated. Its one industry most foreigners are usually happy to rely on.

Relocate South Africa and Pretoria Accommodation
Pretoria accommodation is very reasonable in comparison to the world standards. I personally appreciate the cleanness of the suburbs and the nature preservation with all the museums, zoo, nature reserves and beautiful gardens. A luxurious overnight accommodation can cost you a lot less than $50 per person. Good hospitality values have always been a great strength of South African accommodation establishments. Expats usually go for family homes within gated communities. Pretoria has a lot of safe golf and residential estates. An estate agent can be useful to get you good accommodation for rental or to buy. A family house with 3 to 5 bedrooms can cost you anything from $1000 to more than $2500. A neat small security complex house usually costs anything from $300.
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Kids Activities in Pretoria
Child welfare is usually the most important factor when one is immigrating and the same goes for relocate South Africa. Pretoria and the greater Gauteng province offer a lot of fun activities for kids. With the perfect all year weather, children enjoy the outdoor lifestyle. I think children that have an outdoor lifestyle get to be intelligent, active and healthy and appreciate nature a lot more than the TV and indoor bound kids. Pretoria hosts the best and largest zoo in South Africa. There are lots of other outdoor activities like birding, swimming, nature reserves, animal feeding centers, play parks, horse riding, golf, etc. There are plenty of indoor activities too. Organized game activities, skiing and ice skating. You can also get your children a history tour and visit all of the tourist attractions.

Raising children in Pretoria is made enjoyable by the availability of nannies and domestic help services. Most affording households have maids, gardeners, drivers, etc. Pretoria also has very good local and international schools from nursery to university level.

Telecommunications in Pretoria
There is easy access to internet services. The internet may be slightly pricy compared to that of the developed countries. You may have to pay about $30 for 1G from the satellite service providers for example. With more and more competition because of new entrants in the industry, some companies charge lower rates for both satellite and wireless connections. All cellular companies, Telkom and a number of players in telecommunications industry offer this service.

The three most popular cell phone companies are Vodacom, CellC and MTN. The newest entrant is Virgin Mobile. Most families do not have a landline telephone connection as almost every teenager and adult own a cell phone. The media is generally operating in English. There are Afrikaans newspapers, all 11 official languages on radio and TV. A pay TV will give you access to international channels and international news. You may register your important post, especially for international posting.

What to Do in Pretoria
There are a lot of activities for families and singles in Pretoria. One can visit the Zoo, Museums, theatre and Nature Reserves. You may also subscribe with sporting clubs for golf, driving tracks, running, walking and other sporting activities. There are lots of shopping malls and smaller complexes. Traveling to Johannesburg, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West Provinces is very easy.

Cost of Living
The cost of living in Pretoria South Africa is quite low compared to other cities of the same development state. Mercer's 2008 Cost of Living survey ranked Johannesburg, South Africa 140th most expensive city out of 143 cities. This means that Johannesburg is approximately the 4th cheapest city in the world. Pretoria is even less expensive than Johannesburg, making its lifestyle a great value for money.

Local Languages
If you are relocating to South Africa and Pretoria, it is wise to learn to speak English. Whilst Pretoria local languages include all eleven South African official languages, most residents understand English. All government processes are conducted in English. In addition to English, the main African languages spoken in Pretoria are Pedi (Northern Sotho), Afrikaans and Tswana. These three languages are spoken by about 60 percent of the population.

Healthcare (Relocate South Africa)
You are better off with private sector healthcare. It is amazingly efficient, safe and reasonable compared to that of developed countries. This has led to an increase in health tourism for international patients who come to have their surgeries done in the country. Pretoria has a number of private hospitals and clinics. These are very neat and totally safe and reliable. The public hospitals offer various services at a small fee and for free. Most expatriate families choose to use the private healthcare services.

Transportation in Pretoria
The only challenge with driving in Pretoria is traffic. The N1 towards Johannesburg is very busy and the traffic can go very bad during peak hours. It is wise to plan your trip for after 9 am when possible if you are traveling to Johannesburg. Most motorists adhere to the road rules but are quite impatient during the high traffic periods. The public transport is available in various forms like minibuses, trains, busses and small taxis. A lot is being done on regulating the public transport sector in South Africa. For now, you are safer with a meter taxi which is reliable and very cheap and your own transport.

Making a Living (Relocate South Africa)
I have to add this one. As an expatriate in a foreign country, with a working spouse I had to get myself a work from home business. This website is it. And it gives me the flexibility, enough time to spend with my children and that needed extra income. Contact me if you are interested to learn more. As you relocate South Africa, keep your work options and financial stability in mind.