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South Africa · Investment

South Africa Permanent Residence — business investment (section 27(c))

9 facts quoted from the official source

A foreigner establishing or investing in a qualifying South African business may obtain permanent residence.

Savings required
ZAR 5,000,000
the lowest published threshold
Can bring
—
Not stated in the official source
Requirements
3
each quoted below
Who qualifies

Who this route is for

Every item below is the government’s own wording, quoted from the official source. Whether you personally qualify depends on your full profile.

3 requirements quoted from the official source.

The conditions that decide it
  • Admission or enrolment requirementSection 27 permits require a foreigner of good and sound character; prohibited or undesirable status must be resolved before application.
  • Employment, placement or host agreementAt least 60% of staff must be citizens or permanent residents in permanent positions.
  • Financial resourcesThe prescribed investment is R5,000,000 in cash originating outside South Africa; capital contribution may consist of new machinery or equipment.via gov.za
What rules you out

1 exclusion quoted from the official source.

  • Material restrictions or case-specific conditionsThe investment must be proved within two years after issue and every three years thereafter or the permit may lapse.
Also stated by the source
  • Long-term residence or conversion pathThis route directly grants permanent residence if approved.
  • Work rightsA permanent resident has the rights, privileges, duties and obligations of a citizen except those expressly reserved to citizens.
  • Dependent-family rightsImmediate family members may be included with the business investor.
Family

Who you can bring

  • Dependent-family rightsImmediate family members may be included with the business investor.
Costs & timelines

What the source prices

Validity
1 proven from the official source.
  • Initial duration or stay ceilingThe legal status sought is permanent residence.
How it works

From here to a yes

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FAQ

Straight answers

01Who qualifies for this route to South Africa?
The official source states: A foreigner establishing or investing in a qualifying South African business may obtain permanent residence.
02How much money do I need?
The official source states: The prescribed investment is R5,000,000 in cash originating outside South Africa; capital contribution may consist of new machinery or equipment. The lowest published threshold is ZAR 5,000,000 (savings).
03What does this route lead to?
The official source states: This route directly grants permanent residence if approved.

Every answer is quoted from the official dha.gov.za page for this route, last read 2026-07-27.

We checked 9 points against the official source; 9 are quoted on this page. The other 0 are either not addressed by the source or not yet backed by a quote — we would rather show you the edge of the record than fill it with a plausible guess.

See the 0 open points

Fees and processing time are not published in the official source for this route. We publish a number only when the official text states that number.

The source

Where every quote comes from

Official government source dha.gov.zaLast read 2026-07-27 Every quote on this page is from this South Africa government page.
Compiled from official sources · pending independent re-check · Last checked 2026-07-27 · Our methodology
 · Compiled by António Mira · How we verify · Not legal advice — rules change; confirm with the official source before deciding.
Same category, elsewhere

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