An asylum seeker is someone who has fled their country and applied for refugee status in South Africa, pending a decision. They may be permitted to work on an asylum permit, which affects how they are handled in payroll.
What it means
An asylum seeker typically has a permit number rather than a South African ID number, which is how payroll and SARS distinguish them. This identity status flows into their nature-of-person classification and into ETI, where asylum seekers fall under specific wage-floor rules different from those for citizens. Their refugee-status outcome may later change the classification.
Where it fits in
The asylum-seeker status sits in the employee's tax and identity setup. It governs which nature-of-person code applies and how ETI is assessed, where the wage-floor category is driven by the absence of an ID number and the relevant wage-regulating measure.
Key rules
- A person awaiting a refugee-status decision, working on an asylum permit.
- Identified by a permit number rather than a South African ID.
- Has a distinct nature-of-person classification.
- Falls under specific ETI wage-floor rules.
