The South African Department of Home Affairs That Authorize Work and Business Permits Has Announced New Quotas

The Department of Home Affairs in South Africa that issues business permits, work permits, spousal and life partner permits, relatives permits and retired permits has recently announced a fresh work permit allocation.





Designed in consideration of the skills requirements that can be offered by immigrants desiring to move to South Africa.





Business permit quota list





South Africa is well versed in the need to secure business and merchants have a connection to the required skills, more than ever with the growing investment occurring for the 2010 world cup.





Whilst South Africa's education system is first class and developed work force, it is known that in a few professions there is a talent shortage. To assist the migration development under the work permit sector the Department of Home Affairs regularly considers which qualifications are lacking and produces a quota work permit requirements document. This allows people interested in emigrating to apply for a work permit which in turn means the potential immigrant can consider a work permit before getting an offer of employment, in essence simplifying the overall application process.





Which skills are needed?





After comprehensive deliberation between the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and feedback from the major South African companies, Home Affairs released the most up to date directory of deficient occupations in 2007. Potential immigrants looking for work in these occupations can apply for permits allowing them to reside and work in South Africa.





Reflecting the reality of economic growth in South Africa the Department of Home Affairs concentrates on technical and engineering skills. In fact any Industrial engineer will qualify, but it remains well worth to look at the skills in demand in some detail.





Because public and private investments in core projects foreigners with experience in the construction industry are required the most. Amongst the quota occupations are Draftsperson, Structural Engineers, Civil Engineers, CAD technicians, Civil engineering technicians and technologists. Also in the manufacturing professions the Department of Home Affairs is looking for quotas for skills such as Pipeline Engineers, Manufacturing Technicians, Mechanical Draughtsperson and Technicians, Hydraulics and Pneumatics Technicians, Mechanical Engineers, Quality Engineers and Inspectors and Refrigeration Engineers. In the aviation industry immigrants with qualifications such as Aeronautical Engineers, Avionics Engineers and Aircraft Maintenance Engineers are encouraged to consider the quota work permit. In the electronics sector, South Africa is looking for technicians that are experienced as Electrical and Mechatronics Technicians, Electronic Engineers, Electronics Technicians, Autotronics and Electromechanical Technicians. Recently the Department, also requested certain skilled laborers that can apply for immigration among them are precision metal workers and millwrights, boilermakers, coded welders, toolmakers, fitters and turners.





In other areas the Department has recognised the need for BPO for economic stability and has included Contact Centre Managers and Call Centre under the quota system. Among the information and organisation professionals especially positions for economists, statisticians, actuaries and risk assessors are securable for quota professions.





The mining industry is of equal importance for the South African economy. This is demonstrated by the fact that Home Affairs offers immigrants in the professions Geologists, Geophysicists, Mining Engineering and Earth Science Technicians the ability to have residence and work permits.





Other industrial professionals covered are agriculture and forestry, pharmacology, biotechnology and food technology, astronomy, the chemical industry. Finally South Africa seems to be experiencing a lack of talent in Maths and Science Teachers and Jewellery Makers.





It is important to note that Home Affairs will check if the potential immigrant has the correct skills as well as five years of relevant work experience before granting the quota work permit for South Africa.

My Links : Car Care Earrings Jewelry GPS Navigation Gadgets LCD 37 Inch 1080p HDTV Netbooks Black Friday Dining Room Furniture

BUSINESS NAME REGISTRATION AND INCORPORATION OF COMPANIES & TRUSTEES IN NIGERIA

Q1: What is a business name and why is it so important?
A: A business name is the name which a business trades under for commercial purposes. A business does not actually begin by formulating a business plan or opening a bank account. It starts from choosing a name. There is more to business name than just identity. A good business name is an advertising tool. Many large companies even hire expensive consultants to help them name their businesses, products and services.
Q2: I have this business name that I love so much, and I want to start a business under that name. Can I proceed immediately?
A: No. I think the next thing after you must have done a feasibility study on the business itself is to get the business name registered at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Q3: What do you mean by Corporate Affairs Commission?
A: Registration of business in Nigeria is the exclusive responsibility of the Corporate Affairs Commission, also known as CAC; which has its head office in Abuja, and branches in most states of the federation. The CAC is the federal government agency responsible for registration of all companies.
Q4: But I was told that the cost of registering/incorporating a company is expensive. Can't I go on with the business then register the name later?
A: My candid advice is No! Having your business registered definitely confers some credibility on it, given that it then acquires an identity. In many important business activities or relationships you may want to get involved in, details of your business registration will be required. You do not have to wait for such occasions before getting your business into the register of companies - you may miss an important opportunity just for that omission.
Q5: Is that all?
A: No. Using a business name similar or identical to that of a registered business name can land you into problems, including legal issues. Besides, if you have succeeded in doing business for several years under a name which has not been registered, that does not confer ownership of such business name on you. The CAC has to approve the availability of such a business name before you can proceed to file an application to get the name registered.
Q6: Does that mean I may forfeit a business name that I have been trading under and has become so popular in the marketplace just because I didn't register it at first?
A: Yes. Due to your negligence, someone somewhere might have registered that name or a similar one. This means you will lose all the goodwill that name garnered over the years. Do you see that this situation is more expensive?
Q7: I understand that the Corporate Affairs Commission rejects registration of some business names. What are the likely reasons for such actions?
A: Good question! Officials at the CAC use their discretion in approving a business name submitted for search. Business names may be disapproved if such names existed or are similar to the ones on their database. At times, business names are disapproved due to their vague nature. Consider someone who submitted LAW FIRM as a business name!? More so, objects such as INSTITUTION, FOUNDATION and MINISTRY are not likely to be approved as a business name, except when such objects are used for registration of incorporated companies/trustees.
Q8: What difference exists between a business name and incorporation of company or trustee?
A: To start a business, you need to decide on a business name. You also need to choose a business format under which to operate. You need to know the requirements relating to membership of the company, ownership, etc to enable you make decisions you will remain happy with. The routine processes of registration can then be carried out on your behalf by an accredited professional.
Q9: You mean business names, companies, and trustees are formats?
A: Yes. It may be called business structures too. You will need to talk to an expert concerning this. However, let me give you a little of what you should know.
Three major classes of registration are available under the relevant law (the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990):
(I) Registration of Business Names: This applies to sole proprietorships and partnerships. It is the simplest form of business structure. It is the one-man business, owned by a single person and called ‘enterprise' in the local parlance. The partnership applies to a business where two or more persons agree to jointly own and carry on the business. Given the fairly complex nature of partnerships, it is best to seek the services of experts to assist with the details.
Q10: What about incorporation of companies and trustees?
A: Incorporation of companies is the second class of registration available under this Act. Incorporation recognizes the business as a unique entity, separate from the owners, with statutory powers to own property and sue or be sued. There is thus the concept of limited liability, implying that the individual owner's(shareholder's) liability relating to the business is limited to the amount of his share subscription.
The third class under this Act is the Registration of Incorporated Trustee. This applies to public institutions and associations, operated by a Board of Trustees. This category includes: NGOs, churches, clubs, trade associations, political and civil groups etc.
Q11: Can an ‘enterprise' (business name) be used to carry on all kinds of business?
A: No. The choice of which structure to adopt will depend on the nature of the business, the ownership and evaluation of the benefits, and the pitfalls of each format.
Q12: Why do some people prefer to incorporate a limited liability company?
A: Limited liability companies have grown to become so popular among business owners due to the following reasons:
(I) There is limited liability for individual shareholder.
(II) The standing of the business is enhanced before financial institutions and other parties it does business with.
(III) It has a better access to credit and on even better terms.
(IV) The business is distinct from individual owners; the death of a member does not dissolve the company.
Q13: Can I handle the registration procedures myself?
A: Yes. But the challenge here is that you may receive many queries from the officials at the CAC if you don't comply with certain rules. Though it is cheaper to do the registration yourself, hiring the services of accredited professionals does pay in the long run. However, the CAC specifically requires that only accredited parties carry out the actual registration processing for incorporation of companies and trustees. The accredited professional you choose for the registration process should also be able to provide further advice. As a trained practitioner, he is also familiar with the registration requirements for each business format and processing procedure.
Q14: Now, how long does it take to get my business registered and receive a certificate?
A: The duration depends on the business format you are considering. Applications for registration of business names are usually processed at the zonal office where you submitted an application to be registered; though Name Availability search forms may be forwarded to their head office at Abuja. However, applications for incorporation of companies/trustees are usually forwarded to Abuja for processing. This may take more time.
In either case, the duration also depends on how soon the Name Availability result is released. These days, a name search result could take up to 1 month as against the usual 3-7 days; and the issuance of certificates is taking months to be ready instead of weeks.
Q15: How much does it cost to have my business name registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission?
A: Except you are handling the registration processes yourself, the fee depends on the professional and how he bonds with you with his professional fees, but not the filing fee. The filing fee fluctuates every now and then so you cannot put a specific price on it.
Q16: Do you mean having my business name or company registered with the CAC confers special rights or privileges or licenses to carry on my line of business?
A: No. Registration of any business name under the Companies and Allied Matters Act only confers on the proprietor or partners thereof of the right to carry on such business under a business name, that is, a name other than their own surname or surnames without any addition other than their forenames or Names or the initial of such forename or names. It does not confer any special right or privileges or any license to carry on the business itself.
Q17: Do you mean certain businesses require licenses, educational certificates or accreditation from an authorized body before venturing into them?
A: Yes. Before you register a company that requires a lot of technical and financial input, the CAC has devised new means of screening out touts and quacks from proclaiming to be ‘professionals' in a field that requires extreme expertise. Hence, it is required that you provide educational certificates, belong to a relevant professional body, and or must have gained several years of hands-on experience.
Businesses that fall into this category may include: Advertising/Public Relations, Alternative Medical Practice, Architects/Town Planners, Chartered Secretaries, General Tax Consultants, Hospital/Clinics, Building/Civil Engineers/Contractors, Food Products/Processing, Legal Practice & Consultancy, Human Resource Management, Schools etc.
Q18: My Business registered with a trade association. Do I still need to register it with the CAC?
A: Yes. What your trade association has done is to grant you a license to carry on your line of business. Examples include: Kerosene dealers, hair stylists, tailors, and even professionals such as surveyors and accountants. If you need to engage in some financial dealings such as opening a corporate bank account or securing bank loan, a copy of your business name/company certificate shall be requested.
Q19: My school has gotten an approval from the Ministry of Education in my state. What is the essence of a CAC certificate again?
A: The CAC is responsible for registration of ALL companies, including educational institutions. What the Ministry of Education did was to give you an approval/license having met the requirements laid down for operating a school. Many school proprietors/proprietress are guilty of this. They spend a lot of money to get a government approval then come back to register their school names at the CAC. It doesn't work that way. Two stark choices are usually left open when they finally decide to register their business names with the CAC.
(I) The name approved by the Ministry of Education in their state, and subsequently submitted for approval, are usually denied. Why? The exact or a similar name may have been registered somewhere, sometime. Take for instance, someone submitted BETTER LIFE ACADEMY for Availability search at the CAC but was denied approval. The reason: BETTER DAYS SCHOOLS had been registered for someone else! It can be as serious as this.
(II) They are forced to change the name of their schools in order to be different or, at best, avoid a law suit from the rightful owner of such business name. So, be wise and obtain a certificate from CAC before filing an application for government (Ministry of Education) approval.
Q20: Is there a way I can confirm the validity or authenticity of my business name certificate?
A: Yes. In fact, many people are skeptical about hiring a third-party to process their business name registration, due to the fear that the certificate given to them might be a fake. There are two ways by which you can verify:
(I) Obtain a Name Search Form at any CAC office and fill your registered business name. Submit the form for a search. This may take about 3-30 days for the result to be released. However, when the search result is finally out, the comment stated by the CAC will suggest to you if the certificate in your hands is genuine or not.
(II) Request for a Certified True Copy (in the case of incorporated companies/trustees). The Certified True Copy (CTC) is a copy of the memorandum of association that has been verified and stamped as an exact true copy of the memorandum of association in the CAC's possession and file. If you were not handed a copy at the time you registered your company, and you want to obtain it after your company has been registered, you have to show your tax clearance, your annual returns, write a letter to the director-general of the CAC stating why you need it, purchase application forms and pay the filing fees for the new CTC (which is double the cost compared to when you ought to have gotten it cheap during registration and avoiding the hassles involved). This is where the CAC makes money because they know you will come back someday for it.
Q21: Why is the C.T.C so important?
A: The advantages of this is that with the CTC, you can present it to any company to inspect its objects for business, to help conduct businesses with banks, tender it for auctions, or government contracts, etc, when these big corporate institutions need them. If you don't have a CTC, you will force the company to do a search on your company at the CAC. Which means you will be billed for that search by the corporation. So, imagine how many times you will be shelling out money for company searches?
Q22: Do I get a CTC for a business name (Sole Proprietorship/Partnership)?
A: Yes. But it's quite different from that of incorporated companies/trustees.
Q23: I quite understand why it is so important to register a business name or incorporate a company/trustee. It's in my best interest, isn't it?
A: Certainly. Imagine your organization being recognized, favoured and approved of by your target market/audience, government agencies, international organizations, financial institutions, or even your local community - just because you are duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria! The importance of your organization's certification with the nation's registrar of companies/trustee cannot be over-emphasized.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is only intended to guide investors. Please, consult an expert whenever in doubt. For registration issues, call +2348055981421

Thanks To : GPS Navigation Gadgets SEO for Domain LCD 37 Inch HDTV

Engineering Business - 3 More Keys to Marketing Success

Many engineers have no clue how to market their services. Marketing is not something they teach in engineering school. Ask any engineer how they market their services, and they would probably say word of mouth. Do not get me wrong word of mouth is probably one of the best marketing tools; it is inexpensive and someone else is vouching for you. But there are many other marketing strategies that also are inexpensive and will help your business grow no matter what the market conditions are.

As we said in our first article on engineering marketing most engineers are really good on the technical end of the business, but so good at the business end. Most engineers rather crunch the numbers and write the report then pick up the phone and talk to a new prospective client. In our first article we discussed two key marketing strategies.

Key 1: Personal Contact

Key 2: Networking

In this article will discuss three more marketing strategies that you can implement that will get results.

Key 3: Business Cards - There is more to a business card then your company name, phone number, and your name. The smallest business brochure is the business card. Business cards are a form of marketing, but the purpose is merely for starting communication. This communication can begin with introductions during a meeting at a City conference room meeting, or it begins when an individual is looking through his stack of cards to find a Civil Engineer. He finds your card which he received a year ago at a seminar. The simple rule for business cards is to keep it simple but descriptive enough.

Cheap business cards printed on your printer does not market well. These types of cards make a statement that you are not very successful and don't think very much about your appearance. A hastily put together business card can also be interpreted as a company that just started or may not be around very long. It is all about building your client's confidence in your abilities. It would be a shame to loss that confidence by a business card.

The company's billboard, your business card, should reflect the pride in your profession. The business card should include at a minimum Your Name, Title or Function, Company Name, Address, Phone and Fax Numbers, E-Mail Address, and Web-Site.

When handing out your business card you may want to have a short, concise description of the services your company provides printed on the back of the card or you may say it. This is known as a 10-second introduction. An example is:

Hello, my name is Fred Coaster and I provide Portland, Oregon with Land Development designs that develop our community with environmentally friendly, sustainable and economical projects. I'm a Civil Engineer.

Remember to keep it simple but memorable.

Key 4: Referrals - Another way to gain new clients is by giving referrals. The clients of engineers in Land Development are constantly asking for referrals for a Grading Contractor, Underground Contractor, General Contractor, Architect, Landscape Architect, Geo-technical Engineer, Structural Engineer, Traffic Engineer, Surveyors, Realtors, Commercial Bankers, Lawyers, and the list goes on. The same is true for all other fields of engineering. If you have a list of referrals for each category for your clients, and each of your referrals list you as one of their Civil Engineer referrals, the opportunity of new clients contacting you is greatly increased without spending a dime on advertising.

Key 5: Website - We are now in the internet age, and most clients will use the internet to research your company. Websites are your company's online marketing brochure. There are two types of web-sites for professional services; the online brochure and lead generator.

The majority of websites used by engineering companies is basically an online company brochure. They typically state who they are, their contact information, the projects they have completed, list of clients, contact information, and the services they provide. Anyone searching the internet for an engineering company in their local area will visit the site, look around and either contact them or move on. The flaw with these sites is that there is no reason for the visitor to return.

A site that can build credibility with the client is a site that also has information (content) that the visitor can use. This type of website is a lead generator. Information on the site can be in the form of articles, newsletter (e-zines), blogs, and freebies. You also want to gather information on your visitors. Ask them to sign-up to receive your free newsletters. You want the visitors to see your site as a resource.

The online lead generator website needs a great deal more content than a typical company brochure website. The information gathered on the website acts as a resource for the reader. Information websites that are updated periodically are also more useful to your viewers. In addition, content rich sites tend to have a higher ranking on search engines.

Some of the items that can be added to the informative website are:

News articles about Engineering and the related fields
Blogs
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Civil Engineering
Links to other Resources; such as Government Offices, Professional Organizations, other Engineering Companies, and Architects
How-To Guides for Processing Projects through Government Offices
Local trade shows directory and contact information

Most engineers have excellent technical skills, but not necessarily the same level of expertise in marketing. It is the responsibility of the engineer to develop these skills through continuing education. This continuing education can be obtained through Community Colleges, Universities, Professional Training Programs, Professional Organizations, and online training courses. In most states these continuing education courses qualify for continuing education units (CEU) or Professional Development Hours (PDH).

We have discussed 5 key strategies to improving your marketing efforts; two keys in our first article and 3 more keys in this article. In our next article we will discuss 5 more keys to marketing an engineering firm. Managers are the key to marketing the services and products of the company, having a list of strategies that do not require a significant budget to implement maybe the difference between a successful business and not.

Thanks To : Amazon Best Selling Jewelry on Sale Beauty on Sale Netbook Deals Discount Toasters Model

Are You Running Red Lights in Your Business?

Running a red light in order to save a few precious seconds is one of the dumbest, most irrational things people do. Yet we do it all the time, in business and in real life.

The other day, while driving home from a long session with a client, the light in front of me suddenly turned yellow. I was tired and in a hurry, but caution dictated that I stop for the light and wait my turn. The driver on my left apparently had different ideas, because he gunned his engine and charged through the intersection well after the light had turned red.

At first I thought, what was that guy thinking? And then I realized that he wasn't thinking, he was reacting. And therein lies the problem.

As human beings, we like to consider ourselves rational creatures. But the faster the world moves, the less rational we get. Lately, it seems that the world keeps moving faster than ever. And the more it speeds up, the more we shut down our critical thinking processes and simply react in the moment.

Obviously there are times when we need to react, such as in life-threatening situations. But most of the time, reacting instantly does not serve us well because it usually stems from underlying assumptions and beliefs that have little to no basis in reality.

Running a red light is based on multiple incorrect assumptions. The first, and most illogical, is that getting to our destination a minute or two faster is more important than our own personal safety. Not to mention the safety of the other drivers around us.

Another belief or assumption (or what we like to call thought bubbles) might be that if we stop for the light, the car behind us will plow into our rear bumper. Or, the civil engineers who designed the intersection and timed the light are incompetent and should be disregarded. Or, "Everyone else does it, so why shouldn't I?" Or, "I won't get caught, so it's no big deal."

The list of thought bubbles could go on and on. But when you pause for just a moment to think about it, there is no good reason for running a red light. We know it's inconsiderate to other drivers. We know it's against the law. We know it's dangerous. Yet we rationalize away the danger and do it anyway.

The worst part is that the rationalization happens so quickly we don't even realize we're doing it. We simply stop thinking and react. And every time we do it, we train our brains to shortcut the thinking process so that it becomes almost instinctual, similar to our fight-or-flight reactions.

How do we run red lights in business? By doing the exact same thing - shutting down our thinking processes and letting unfounded beliefs and assumptions guide our decisions and actions.

Running a red light in business involves making key decisions based on all the things we assume to be true but never take the time to verify. It's the way we treat customers without ever checking to see if that's how they want to be treated. It's the way we think about the competition without doing any real research. It's all the things about our businesses that we take for granted because we have always known them to be true.

For example, "Our competition will never catch up to us. We're too good." Or, "We'll never be able to match our competitor's cost structure." Or, "We don't have to worry about global competition; we're a regional company."

Running red lights with customers sounds like, "We can't do that. The market isn't ready for it." Or, "Our customers will never accept a price increase." Or, "We don't have to innovate because no one else can do what we do." Or even, "Because that's the way we have always done it..."

Where's the logic in that kind of thinking?

The only certainty in today's markets is ongoing, often disruptive change. Rather than simply reacting to that change, we need to pause (stop at the red light), think (check our underlying thought bubbles while waiting for the light to change) and then (when we have real data to support our conclusions) put the pedal to the metal (and stay within the speed limit of course). Constantly running red lights may seem like we're going faster. In reality, it means we're an accident waiting to happen and when it does, it slows us down considerably.

The next time you're tempted to run a red light in your business or in your car, take a moment to think about what's really important. Check your thought bubbles! The right decision could be a lifesaver for you and your business.

??????????????�???????????�??????????????�