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TECH & INNOVATION: SA’s Critical Skills Crunch and why businesses are struggling to find talent.

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GUEST: Marisa Jacobs – Managing Director at Xpatweb

South Africa’s critical skills shortage is deepening and businesses are feeling the impact. The latest Xpatweb Critical Skills Survey reveals that 84% of large corporations and multinationals are struggling to recruit highly skilled professionals, especially in engineering, ICT, and healthcare.

Marisa Jacobs unpacks what’s driving the talent drought, why the visa system remains a bottleneck, and how the Trusted Employer Scheme is starting to ease the pressure.

What does this mean for South Africa’s growth ambitions, and how can local companies compete in a global race for talent?
28 Oct 2025 4PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

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