On 15th July 2014 you could listen to an interview on classic FM's Politonomy. You can listen to the recording here...

On 03 June 2014 you could listen on SAFM.co.za to an interview with Home Affairs Director-General, Mkuseli Apleni and Intergate Immigration's Director Stuart James.

Hi I am Claus Lauter from Intergate Immigration, and as always thanks for joining me on our monthly podcast.

Today we have the pleasure of welcoming Tammy Price, Africa Operations Manager at Intergate Immigration. Welcome Tammy and thanks for joining us.

Hello Claus thank you for having me.

So Tammy you look after the Africa side of things at Intergate?

Yes that's right Claus, currently we provide permit and visa service to 8 African countries and the demand for additions to this keeps growing.

Intergate are renowned for South African immigration what caused the expansion into African permits and visas?

Africa is something we are very passionate about and an area we have been considering for a couple years. We deal with a great many international companies at Intergate and this is something they have been keen for us to offer but we wanted to ensure we did it right.

So how did you approach it, I imagine some of Africa has some unique challenges?

Yes Claus, it can be a challenge but much the same as any where else its about proper planning and execution, What is important with Africa is to make sure you have professional people, in situ, in the country of destination. We went through a very vigorous search and interview process to ensure we got the right representation in each of the countries we offer.

So did you travel to the countries

Yes we did. In fact much of last year was spent travelling through Africa, getting to understand the countries, the processes and of course completing our interview process for representatives.

That must have been fascinating Tammy, which countries did you go to?

Ghana, Botswana, Kenya, Zambia, The DRC, Namibia, Uganda. Nigeria and a few others.

Any favourites?

I can honestly say I enjoyed them all. What was amazing was just how welcoming all the people were and of course there are some amazing sights and sounds.

So how does the service work Tammy?

To some extend it depends on the visa or permit that is being applied for and of course each country is different in terms of its requirements. It all starts with ensuring eligibility, making sure the client understands the process and the costs involved.

If all the boxes are ticked and we proceed with the application, we then collate all the requited documents and applications from our head office here in Cape Town. Should we need to submit the application in the destination country that's where our representatives come into play.

So hows business been?

The response has been superb and we have been kept busy. We have done applications in all the countries now and in some as many as 30 at a time. The feedback from our clients has been great, our appointed representatives have been extremely professional and thorough and we are looking forward to continuing to do a lot more.

It can normally take a while to get busy with a new offering, why do you think its took off so quick?

There is a few reasons Claus but the 3 main ones are:

1. People and companies know Intergate and our 8 year track record. Knowing how we deal with their South African immigration needs means they are more than happy to use our services in other areas.

2. ISO – we are the only ISO certified immigration company in South Africa. Having this international independent certification gives our clients the reassurance of tried and trusted processes, a customer focus and the knowledge that ongoing auditing means we dont just maintain our standards but improve them.

3. Our knowledge – other companies of course offer permit and visa services but they have never been to the country in question, first hand knowledge is imperative and gives is distinct advantage when it ...

On March 04. you could listen on SAFM.co.za to an interview with Minister of Home Affairs Naledi Pandor and our Intergate group chairman Nico Le Roux.

The topic was "Are we closing the stable door on immigration, after the horse has already bolted?".

In the interview the upcoming changes in South African Immigration law are discussed. If you missed it you will be able to listen to it here.

Hi I am Claus Lauter from Intergate Immigration, and as always thanks for joining me on our monthly podcast.

Once again we have the pleasure of welcoming Mark Wilkes one of Intergate's Client Managers to our studio. Welcome Mark and how was your UK trip?

Hello Claus its good to be back and the trip was very good thanks but its always nice to come home.

So Mark today we are looking at homecomers and some of the challenges they face.

Yes that's right Claus, its a subject we are very passionate about and I also want to share some information on the up coming Home Coming Revolution exhibition that we will be attending.

Lets start there Mark – what is the Home Coming Revolution and how does that fit in with Intergate?

Well we have been involved with Home Coming for a number of years and its basic ideal is that Africa deserves her skills back.

On a freezing cold morning in 1999, Madiba stood on the steps of the SA embassy in London’s Trafalgar Square and looked over a sea of South African faces. “I love you all so much”, he said, “I want to put you in my pocket and take you home.” And so the idea for Homecoming Revolution was born.

Now in its 10th year, Homecoming Revolution is expanding its one-stop offering to attract not only South Africans back home, but East and West Africans back to their respective homelands too.

We are the appointed partner to Home Coming Revolution and handle all the enquiries that come in their website for both South Africa and other various African countries.

And the exhibition Mark?

Next years exhibition is in London and runs over the weekend the 15/16 March 2014. As the immigration partner we are delighted to be taking part and encourage all South Africans and Africans to come along.

What can they expect if they attend Mark/

Many companies exhibiting jobs, schools, property, products, services, investments and entrepreneurial opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa

1. Inspirational video content and story-telling of returnee case studies

2. High-profile guest speakers who will update, inform, educate and inspire the diaspora on various issues relating to African business, economics, politics, and future scenarios in South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Kenya

3. Practical relocation, career and entrepreneur workshops

4. An overall fun cultural experience with music and food

And what do the exhibitors gain from it?

Businesses operating in Africa that need talent and customers will find some great exposure and also some superb candidates for vacancies they may have and of course networking opportunities. The public sector organisations that attend also benefit from a great chance to connect with the diaspora.

And will you be in there in person Mark?

Absolutely its one of my favourite events and it also gives me the chance to meet lots of people who are thinking of returning home, help them with concerns or queries and of course give them a lot of information.

I will also be offering them the chance to meet with me one on one so we can chat through their own individual circumstances.

Mark it sounds a great initiative – where can companies and attendees find out more?

They can of course contact me directly on mark at intergate hyphen immigration .com or visit the Home Coming website on www.homecomingrevolution.com

So Mark people always discuss the brain drain but are we seeing any signs of a reversal of this?

Claus the landscape has definitely changed over the years and we year on year see an increase in the amount of returnees. There has been a combination of push and pull factors that have contributed to that but you say that there is a huge amount of South Africans ...

Intergate Immigration interviewed by SAfm, South Africa's News and information leader on the topic of immigration to South Africa

Hi I am Claus Lauter from Intergate Immigration, and as always thanks for joining me on our monthly podcast.

As promised last month this podcast we will be covering retiring to South Africa and I am delighted to welcome Mark Wilkes into our studio this month. Welcome Mark.

Hello Claus thanks for having me

So Mark tell me what is your role at Intergate?

Well Claus I am a one of Intergates client manager, I specifically look after the English speaking clients who enquire about our services and need immigration advice.

Why specialise in English?

At Intergate we were one of the first immigration companies who recognised the need for our clients to be able to communicate in there mother tongue and be able to relate to the needs of people emigrating from specific countries. We have amongst our team german, dutch, french spanish, afrikaans and of course English speakers.

Mark you sound quite English?

That's correct Claus I moved to South Africa some 6 years ago now with my partner and I myself used Intergate Immigration for not just my permit but also many relocation issues as well.

So you yourself are an immigrant to South Africa does that help you in your role?

Absolutely – I fell in love with South Africa as many visitors do and decided to make it my home. Having been through the whole immigration process myself its easy for me to relate to all the decisions, frustrations and opportunities my clients face. Its a definite advantage understanding the difference between how things work in South Africa and how things work in say the UK?.

So how long have you been at Intergate Mark?

They didn't give me much time off when I emigrated here Claus so I started a few weeks after my arrival so its 6 years now.

6 years is quite a long time tell me do you still find the job interesting?

That's the best thing about my role. Its not just about permits and visas but moving peoples life’s. I get the chance to make a real difference to someone’s move to South Africa as successful as it can be and each day and each client gives me a new challenge. One of Intergates owners says I must have emigrated to South Africa a few thousand times by now as he is sure I treat every client as if it is me moving myself.

As Intergates most experienced client manager Mark how do you see your role?

Immigration can be a daunting process and of course it can be stressful. My experiences have shown me 3 things that really matter:

1. Empathy and understanding – I get to know my clients and their unique circumstances making sure I tailor my advice and support to their needs.

2. Service – I am always available to my clients, react to phone calls and emails promptly and pride myself on not just maintaining mine and Intergates excellent reputation but improving it.

3. Knowledge – moving to South Africa is a big emotional and financial decision for our clients and it deserves expert assistance. Websites can only tell you so much and its the client contact that matters. Advice and guidance so my clients can make informed decisions and avoid potential pitfalls is paramount.

Well Mark today we are here to chat about retirees and the immigration process to South Africa for them. Tell me are there a lot of retirees choosing South Africa?

Yes there are Claus and its one of the areas i specialise in.

What makes South Africa so attractive to them?

There are a number of reasons some pull factors and some push factors. Many of the push factors revolve around people seeking a better lifestyle than they currently enjoy in their own countries. Be it the bad weather, high cost of living and even in some cases a sense of disappointment in their own count...

Hi I am Claus Lauter from Intergate Immigration, and as always thanks for joining me on our monthly podcast.

As promised last month I am delighted to welcome Pia Henseler into our studio this month. Welcome Pia.

Hello Claus thanks for having me

So Pia tell me what is your role at Intergate?

Well Claus I am a corporate client manager, in essence I specialise in looking after companies and their immigration requirements.

Why specialise in Corporates?

At Intergate we were the first immigration company who set up a tailored service for companies. Companies needs are very different from individuals and we wanted to be sure we offered by a service that best matched there needs.

So why are companies needs different?

Companies that I deal with really fall in two categories –

Number one those setting up operations here in South Africa. In this instance they often need expert help in terms of what sort of company structure, tax advice, banking and other operational items. As well, of course, as permit and visa advice.

And can you offer all that?

Absolutely – one of the reasons Intergate looks after so many corporates is the in house skills we have. We can assist companies right from the planning stage and take the stress out of much of the initial set up process and structures.

The other companies we deal with are where they need to recruit foreign workers. In this instance there is often a need to be involved with HR departments in planing the recruitment needs over the coming years. We are as proactive as possible in this planning stage to make sure we are providing the most suitable types of permits and visas that meet the companies needs going forward as well as for the here and now.

So what sort of service do your corporate clients get?

Firstly we have a dedicated client manager for each of our corporate clients. The appointed Client manager will agree regular on site visits for updates and assessing needs – never less than once a month and often weekly.

In addition each company is provided with a dedicated administrator to compile all their applications. Where possible we also make sure the administrator meets the company in question, there is no underestimating the power of having a great relationship and open channels of communications.

We also have a number of initiatives that include a purpose built client management system proving regular updates and receipts so the company knows where it stands with all its applications. We also monitor and inform the company of all expiring permits and visas well in advance and operate a 24 hour maximum repose time to all communication received.

My role in summary is to make the companies immigration processes as stress free as possible.

So what type of permits do corporates typically deal with?

In the main its work permits and accompanying permits (such as spousal and study) for employees dependants.

What are the main work permits you assist with?

Intergate can provide services for all permit and visa's for South Africa but in terms of work permits we advise on a lot of corporate permits, intra company transfers and general work permits.

Can you tell us a bit about the corporate work permit?

Corporate work permits are particular useful when recruiting a number of foreigners into roles over the next few years. Its more cost effective and time efficient to obtain a corporate permit than the other types of work permit.

The permit is almost like a permission to recruit a number of foreign workers. This means when individual applications are made there is no need for all the formalities normally associated with work permits and the processin...

Hi I am Claus Lauter from Intergate Immigration, and as always thanks for joining me on our monthly podcast.

In response to the many requests we have received the next few podcasts will focus on the individual permit types and we start today with the business permit.

Please keep the feedback coming it helps me to make sure that our podcasts are covering the areas you really want know about. As always please mail me on [email protected] and don't forget if you want to catch up with our old podcasts you can visit

So on to the business permit.

Lets have a look at who should and who can apply.

Firstly business permits are for those prospective immigrants who are looking to invest and work in their own business in South Africa. In other words a business that the applicant is going to be actively involved in.

Its worth spending a couple of minutes clarifying this as it is an area that can cause confusion.

Firstly - People can mistake a business permit with what other countries refer to as an investor permit – South Africa does not offer an investor permit. These investor permits normally simply require the applicant to invest a certain amount of money into a business – this is not the case in South Africa as you will hear later on.

Secondly - Please note that for existing companies, looking to set up their operations in South Africa, a business permit may not be the correct advice and they should seek further guidance from our corporate team of advisor’s on [email protected].

Thirdly - Although in many cases the business is a start up this does not need to be the case. We process a great many permit applications for people investing into existing businesses.

So in summary it can be an existing or start up business that the applicant is going to be employed by and be working in it.

Business permits can be applied for on both a temporary and permanent basis. It is highly unlikely that a permanent business permit will be issued prior to being in possession of a temporary permit. The normal route is therefore to apply for both a temporary and permanent business permit at the same time (or very close together).

The temporary one will normally take in the region of 10 – 16 weeks to be processed and will normally be for a period of 5 years. Permanent residency applications can take up to 2 years and in extreme cases even longer.

When permanent residency is received, as long as the application has been compiled correctly, the spouse or life partner will also become permanent residents as well as any dependants included within the application. Until then applications would need to be made for the appropriate study permits or activities the spouse or life partner may wish to undertake.

Now lets have a look at the basic criteria for applying for a business permit:

A business entity will need to be established, this normally takes the form of a Pty Ltd but not always. This involves name searches and then completing the required registration documents.

South Africa requires you to make a minimum Investment amount into the book value of the business. This amount equates to an investment of at least R2.5 million within the first 2 years. Further, within the same 2 year period the business must employ 5 South Africans or permanent residency holders.

The applicant will also need to present a comprehensive business plan that demonstrates the business concept, its viability and the steps that are to be taken within the business to make it succesful. In addition to the business plan, where the investment is into an existing business, a shareholder agreement needs to be drawn up – even if it is a 100% purchase of the existing business.

Relatives Permits for South Africa

Hi I am Claus Lauter from Intergate Immigration, and as always thanks for joining me on our monthly podcast. I hope you all had a great festive season and take this opportunity to wish you all a happy and prosperous 2013.

Many thanks for all your positive feedback on the podcasts and our intention is to continue them through out the year. If there is a subject you would like covered please feel free to e-mail on [email protected] – we welcome your suggestion.

Part of the feedback we received was apparently I sound like a bit like Arnold Schwarzenegger – I eagerly await the call from Hollywood for being a voice double (if there is such a thing).

Anyway on with the podcast and as promised this month I am going to tell you about relatives permits and how you can join family that are living in South Africa.

Lets begin with looking at what types of permits are available and who can apply.

For those who are looking to immigrate to South Africa on a temporary basis, a temporary residency permit can be applied for. This is normally issued for a 2 year period of time.

This temporary relatives permit is a type of sponsored permit, with either a South African citizen or permanent resident playing the role of the sponsor.

Applications can be made by first and second kin – what this means is by applicants who are related to a South African citizen or permanent resident holder by either a parental / child relationship or that of grandparent or grandchild.

It should be noted that being granted temporary residency, as a relative, gives no entitlement for the holder to work, study or run a business – simply put the applicant is allowed to enter and stay in South Africa but that is it.

As part of the application for temporary residency proof must be shown, by means of salary advise or a bank statement that the sponsoring citizen or permanent resident has R5000.00 per month per person, which amounts shall not apply in the case of a spouse or minor of a citizen or permanent resident.

For those seeking a permanent move to South Africa, permanent residency can also be applied for. In this case applications are restricted to those family members connected by first kin – either the child or the parent of a South African citizen or permanent residency holder.

Once again, the sponsor in these circumstances would need to be able to demonstrate the ability and intention to financially support the applicant.

Where applicants successfully apply for permanent residency, they are permitted to work in the same way as all permanent residents.

For those who do qualify for permanent residency they should note that applications for permanent residency can take significantly longer to obtain than temporary residence permits. This is true of South African relative permits, which can take more than two years to process.

As a result, a common practice is to enter the country through a grant of temporary residency whilst also applying for permanent resident status in South Africa. This allows for applicants to enter the country more quickly whilst the long-term permit is processed.

In both cases (temporary and permanent applications) Applicants migrating to South Africa via the relatives category may not bring their partner, spouse or dependants with them on the application. For immediate family members of the applicant to join them in South Africa it would be necessary for them to apply and qualify in their own right

So in summary prospective applicants can apply for permanent residency if they are related to citizen or permanent residency holder by first kin, for those related by second kin only temporary residency is available.