Cape Town: The city finally welcomes Remote Work Visa. It has been a journey of tireless advocacy. The new regulations allows foreign workers to stay longer in Cape Town.
The Remote Work Visa will boost tourism value proposition and will benefit local businesses.
Highlighting this achievement, Member of Mayoral Committee for Economic Growth and Tourism – Alderman James Vos said that he is thrilled to announce a significant victory in the ongoing efforts to have the government revise the visa regulations by including remote worker visa.
He added that the new category, which he and his team have tirelessly advocated for numerous submissions to President – Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Home Affairs – Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi. The introduction of the ‘Remote Work Visa’ will be a game-changer for the visitor economy.
The new amendments advise the ones who have applied for the visa category and must either work for a foreign source or ‘derive foreign source income on a remote basis’ which is just as recommended by the city.
Alderman Vos emphasised that by enabling remote workers to stay longer in Cape Town, this new addition in visa can substantially boost the tourism value proposition, as these visitors will spend more money by benefitting various local businesses and services.
He also mentioned that to prepare the sector, they have convened the industry sessions to demonstrate their eagerness by including this category in terms of product and service offerings.
“We have signed partnerships with the industry bodies and marketing agencies to ensure that our destination is showcased effectively. We are also working on a special marketing campaign that will connect with digital nomads all over the World,” said Alderman James Vos.
MMC for Economic Growth said that the official Destination Marketing Organisation for the city – Cape Town Tourism has highlighted the Mother City’s destination value for international remote workers in association with the homestay platform – Airbnb.
The partnership agreement includes a custom-built Airbnb hub for Cape Town that showcases top local long-term listings, attractions, and experiences and is dedicated to providing information about entry requirements and visa policies. Further details related to the remote work visa can be found on Airbnb’s official website.
Notably, the National Government is focusing its efforts and making sure that the visas can be issued effectively. The entire visa system is effective and efficient and will give a major boost to the country’s economy and drive investments and jobs for millions of desperate South Africans.
