Work Permit!

---

I went to Home Affairs and waited last week, and my reward was to learn that the Board was meeting yesterday to decide on a pile of applications, which included ours. I came back today, and the permits were ready! They consist of little stickers put into your passport with the reason and term for your permit. Mine allows me to work as a project engineer for Biwater, for an indefinite term. If that changes, the permit has to change. This also means we have temporary residency for at least 3 years, which is the term in Bob’s permit for some reason. Bob has residency as my spouse. He has not gotten a work permit as yet because one needs a job offer here before you can apply. He keeps trying but it is discouraging. The answer is usually the same, affirmative action says he’s too old, too white and too male. When/if he gets a job, we have to reapply for him all over again. Or if I change jobs, then I need a new permit. For the meantime, we are happy that I will be able to work starting Monday the 15th, and busily preparing to get our tax and banking information settled!

---