City of Cape Town hopes to introduce Remote Working Visa

As part of its Digital Nomad initiative, the City of Cape Town plans to engage national government over the introduction of a ‘Remote Working Visa’.

This follows the city’s inclusion on a list of the best places for remote working in 2021 and Cape Town Tourism’s promotion of the city as a remote working hub.

“Digital nomads are a new kind of tourist that will benefit our visitor economy. To expand on this opportunity, South Africa urgently needs a Remote Working Visa,” City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, Alderman James Vos, said in a statement.

“I will therefore engage my national counterpart to make a business case for the introduction of a Remote Working Visa to benefit the tourism industry as it increases commercial activity, and demand and growth for many more industries that leads to jobs and skills.”

What is a remote working visa?

Vos points to other countries that have introduced remote working visas to boost their tourism industries during the pandemic.

These visas allow for longer stays than typical visitor or tourist visas, often up to a year or more.

Those who wish to apply for these visas need to show proof of income for their stay. This is another way that it differs from a typical tourist visa.

Regions that have introduced this type of visa or other independent contractor visas include Dubai, Norway, Antigua & Barbuda, and more.

However, the special visa would need to be national policy.

Nevertheless, the city plans to launch an international campaign to promote Cape Town as a remote work destination. It says it will do this “when it is safe to do so”.

Feature image: Megan Ellis/Memeburn

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