Looking at moving to cape town
Sep 5th 2015, 1:48 pm
#1
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2009
Location: Dubai
Posts: 5,965
Looking at moving to cape town
Hello lovely South African board,
I posted last year when I was visiting SA and some of you helped me then so I am back with a few more questions if you would be so kind.
So I have been approached for a job role in Cape Town- I'm currently based in Dubai and am open to a move after 6 years here. The job role sounds very interesting and I loved Cape Town when I visited but obviously living there is very different. I'm getting married in a couple of months so would be looking to move with my hubby.
I have a Skype interview coming up and just wanted to get your opinions on any questions I should be asking. The role includes 3 months accommodation and relocation package for myself. What else are standards there is insurance, annual flights home, etc. coming from a tax haven it will be quite a shocker for me to be paying tax again, I've had a Google and it looks to be quite high tax, what are the other costs like?
Is there a visa process or is it a work permit required?
My husband to be is an ex trader form the floors of the nme, he would be 55 by the time we move(if we do) what would his chances of employment be like? I'm guessing it's quite a small expat community there so networking should hopefully be easy enough but would he be ok to move without employment?
Also just on the safety aspect- how safe is it on the whole- I see most properties have security measures in place but on a day to day what are the chances of getting boshed over the head? Coming from dxb I've become slightly non streetwise.
Any help would be much appreciated
Kittycat
I posted last year when I was visiting SA and some of you helped me then so I am back with a few more questions if you would be so kind.
So I have been approached for a job role in Cape Town- I'm currently based in Dubai and am open to a move after 6 years here. The job role sounds very interesting and I loved Cape Town when I visited but obviously living there is very different. I'm getting married in a couple of months so would be looking to move with my hubby.
I have a Skype interview coming up and just wanted to get your opinions on any questions I should be asking. The role includes 3 months accommodation and relocation package for myself. What else are standards there is insurance, annual flights home, etc. coming from a tax haven it will be quite a shocker for me to be paying tax again, I've had a Google and it looks to be quite high tax, what are the other costs like?
Is there a visa process or is it a work permit required?
My husband to be is an ex trader form the floors of the nme, he would be 55 by the time we move(if we do) what would his chances of employment be like? I'm guessing it's quite a small expat community there so networking should hopefully be easy enough but would he be ok to move without employment?
Also just on the safety aspect- how safe is it on the whole- I see most properties have security measures in place but on a day to day what are the chances of getting boshed over the head? Coming from dxb I've become slightly non streetwise.
Any help would be much appreciated
Kittycat
Sep 8th 2015, 11:35 am
#2
.
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Home, I think.
Posts: 9,217
Re: Looking at moving to cape town
Hi Kittycat, sorry for the delayed response!
A few things to consider:
Where is the role based, and where would you plan on living? Gated communities are in plentiful supply, but the traffic can be bad in Cape Town.
Is medical aid included - and does it cover your husband (this would be a deal breaker for me). Is there a car? Make sure if so that it's either brand new or ultra reliable. Tax is around 40% and you get bugger all in return. You'll need home security, vehicle tracking, car insurance, aforementioned medical aid (there is usually a contribution), pension / provident fund (mandatory), as well as other stuff to consider such as cable TV, cellphones (relatively expensive and poor coverage), home internet (expensive), fuel and groceries - which are escalating due to the very weak rand. Your husband will need a car too - whatever anyone else says, there is NO public transport you'd be happy using. And if he plays golf he'll definitely need one. And if he doesn't, he'll want to pretty quickly.
All this means you can't take your $ salary today and convert it to Rand. My advice would be to negotiate a package in US$ which should protect you, and make sure it's what you expect +40% (or more) to cover for taxes and other additional costs for living in SA. Dubai is expensive, but it's the hidden, every day costs that nail you in SA - I'd expect inflation (currently 6%) to start escalating rapidly as the currency continues falling and investors continue to panic. The electricity crisis, mining strikes, union issues and general ineptitude of the government are all factors which are chasing foreign investors away.
I can't comment on your husbands employment opportunities, but know if he is on an "accompanying spouse" visa (the most common in your situation) he won't be allowed to work, even if you're married. This will only change if you have residency.
CT is beautiful, great wine, good food, much safer than Joburg (but like any big cities, has its problems). I'd still rather walk around parts of Cape Town before parts of London. The trick is knowing which parts. There is a Cape Town "clique" but being in DXB you'll know about those. The ex-pat community is quite large, and you'll make friends in your gated estate.
I hope this is useful, please don't hesitate to reply if you need any further information.
Good luck
Ed
A few things to consider:
Where is the role based, and where would you plan on living? Gated communities are in plentiful supply, but the traffic can be bad in Cape Town.
Is medical aid included - and does it cover your husband (this would be a deal breaker for me). Is there a car? Make sure if so that it's either brand new or ultra reliable. Tax is around 40% and you get bugger all in return. You'll need home security, vehicle tracking, car insurance, aforementioned medical aid (there is usually a contribution), pension / provident fund (mandatory), as well as other stuff to consider such as cable TV, cellphones (relatively expensive and poor coverage), home internet (expensive), fuel and groceries - which are escalating due to the very weak rand. Your husband will need a car too - whatever anyone else says, there is NO public transport you'd be happy using. And if he plays golf he'll definitely need one. And if he doesn't, he'll want to pretty quickly.
All this means you can't take your $ salary today and convert it to Rand. My advice would be to negotiate a package in US$ which should protect you, and make sure it's what you expect +40% (or more) to cover for taxes and other additional costs for living in SA. Dubai is expensive, but it's the hidden, every day costs that nail you in SA - I'd expect inflation (currently 6%) to start escalating rapidly as the currency continues falling and investors continue to panic. The electricity crisis, mining strikes, union issues and general ineptitude of the government are all factors which are chasing foreign investors away.
I can't comment on your husbands employment opportunities, but know if he is on an "accompanying spouse" visa (the most common in your situation) he won't be allowed to work, even if you're married. This will only change if you have residency.
CT is beautiful, great wine, good food, much safer than Joburg (but like any big cities, has its problems). I'd still rather walk around parts of Cape Town before parts of London. The trick is knowing which parts. There is a Cape Town "clique" but being in DXB you'll know about those. The ex-pat community is quite large, and you'll make friends in your gated estate.
I hope this is useful, please don't hesitate to reply if you need any further information.
Good luck
Ed
