Business
South African Companies Sound the Alarm as Skills Shortages Worsen in 2025
Employers Struggle as Key Jobs Remain Empty
South Africa’s employers are raising a red flag once again. From engineering to IT and healthcare, businesses are finding it harder than ever to recruit the people they need to keep operations running.
The latest Xpatweb Critical Skills Survey, which gathered responses from 381 verified employers, including JSE-listed firms and global companies operating locally, paints a worrying picture. A staggering 84% of large corporations say they battled to fill highly skilled positions this year, up from 79% in 2023.
What’s worse, almost nine out of ten employers admit these shortages are already hurting productivity, delaying projects, and costing opportunities for growth.
Engineering and ICT: The Hardest Roles to Fill
The shortage of engineers has become one of the country’s most pressing workforce problems. In 2024, just under a quarter of companies said they couldn’t find suitable engineers. That number has now jumped to 38%. From industrial and mechanical engineers to electrical technologists, the demand is far outpacing the local supply of qualified candidates.
The technology sector is facing a similar squeeze. ICT specialists now make up 22% of all reported shortages, up sharply from just 10% two years ago. The most in-demand roles include data scientists, software engineers, and cybersecurity professionals. As the global race for digital talent accelerates, South Africa’s gap in tech skills continues to widen.
The Rise of the Artisans
Not all shortages are behind office desks. Artisan jobs have become one of the fastest-growing pain points for local employers. In just one year, the percentage of companies struggling to hire artisans has doubled from 10% to 22%. Electricians, millwrights, and automation technicians are among the toughest to find, despite renewed government efforts to push school leavers toward trades and technical training.
Healthcare Joins the Shortlist
The country’s healthcare system isn’t spared either. Registered nurses and medical specialists are increasingly difficult to recruit, with shortages reported in emergency medicine, anaesthesiology, and public health expertise. Analysts suggest that the ongoing rollout of the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme has intensified the need for more healthcare professionals, at a time when many are emigrating or taking up international opportunities.
Employers Looking Abroad, and Hitting Red Tape
Faced with local shortages, many companies have turned their attention overseas. Around 84% of surveyed employers said they now rely on international recruitment to fill critical roles. But nearly 77% reported frustrations with visa and immigration procedures.
Long delays at embassies, backlogs at visa processing centres, and complex professional registration requirements have made it difficult for skilled foreigners to enter the country. Even the Critical Skills Work Visa system, designed to help companies fast-track international hires, isn’t a cure-all.
The reason is simple: South Africa’s Critical Skills List currently covers only about 82% of the roles employers say they actually need.
Calls for an Update
The Critical Skills List was last updated in late 2023, following years of delay. Xpatweb now says it’s vital that the next revision, scheduled for 2026, properly reflects the country’s fast-changing job market. It’s urging government departments, including Home Affairs and Higher Education, to make sure the next update keeps pace with business realities.
Until then, South Africa’s employers may continue to face the same frustrating paradox: thousands of job openings, but not enough qualified people to fill them.
Beyond Numbers: What’s at Stake
This isn’t just a recruitment problem. It’s about South Africa’s future competitiveness. When a nation can’t attract or retain the right skills, innovation slows, businesses look elsewhere, and the economy loses momentum.
As Xpatweb puts it, South Africa’s challenge is no longer just to “find” talent; it’s to compete for it on a global scale.
Also read: Microsoft Office Prices Jump by Up to 46% in South Africa: What’s Behind the Hike
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Source: Business Tech
Featured Image: iStock
