South African remote working visa pushed to attract long-stay tourists

Posted by Anita Froneman on 3 June 2021

The proposed remote working visa aimed at foreign professionals can help position South Africa as the working-from-home destination of choice, says David Seinker, The Business Exchange founder & CEO.

Earlier this year, the Mother City has made Big 7 Travel’s ‘Best Cities for remote working‘ for 2021, and it’s easy to see why. Cape Town ranked as the 42nd best city for remote working in the world, followed by Melbourne, Australia, and Taipei, Taiwan.

‘As a tourist destination, South Africa is revered for its natural beauty and while the all-round Instagram-worthy natural splendour is a major drawcard, there is some work to be done in highlighting the world-class professional environment many of our cities and towns offer, and the call for this visa is definitely a step in the right direction,’ Seinker continued.

Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities, Alderman James Vos recently said that if there is one positive from this pandemic, it is that the future of work will never be the same. ‘This puts Cape Town in a prime position to cater to the changing needs of a global workforce,’ Vos said in a statement.

Vos also went on to elaborate on how the city could improve its remote working conditions for the ‘long-stay digital nomads’, as he described them, going on to suggest the city should consider revised rates and ‘home away from home’ type packaging for international guests travellers looking to call the Mother City their ‘new office’.

Seinker expressed the same notion, saying the remote working visa has the potential to ‘unlock a whole new segment of the economy as it calls for different services, including shared and serviced office spaces, accommodation, leisure facilities and gyms, and transport, among others.’

‘The South African economy will continue to be impacted by Covid-19 for some time to come. Promoting a remote work visa now would not only attract visitors to South Africa at a time when tourism has been severely impacted, but would in future, ensure that South Africa’s economy benefits from a mix of leisure, business and long-term stays.

The positive impact on the South African economy of a remote working visa, far outweighs any potential negatives. Accommodation establishments, office spaces and related services are currently underutilised, and are in need of being more productively utilised, Seinker added.

He emphasised the point that foreign remote workers are typically individuals with the type of expendable income that benefits our economy. ‘While the Western Cape Government is currently strongly advocating for this visa, it is important to remember that these would be issued by the country and would thus allow visitors to visit any part of the country, and spend time in multiple towns and cities, helping to boost local economies through their spend on everything from accommodation to data and internet connections, hospitality and groceries.

Picture: Unsplash

 






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