Salary in South Africa

[mgs559]

I'm thinking of moving to South Africa for a year or two this coming fall. I'm currently working as an
EMT-B (emergency medical technician) in Pennsylvania and I read that it's the same as basic ambulance assistants in South Africa. If anyone knows the salaries that a BAA receives in South Africa that would be great. If no one knows, could you tell me a salary that may be similar? And could i support myself on this? If not, I'm also a certified phlebotomist. Could I get a decent salary, just enough to pay the bills, on that?


Thanks in advance.

[Avatar]

Well, I see Cape Gov advertised for a BAA (which is the bottom entry-level) at the end of last year, offering just less the R6,000 per month.

Not a lot. You could support yourself on it, but it might be tough, depending on your standards. (Don't get me wrong, millions of South Africans support themselves on much less), but it might mean things like renting a room, rather than a flat (appartment), depending on where you wanted to stay, etc. (You can probably get a flat for about half the offered monthly salary if you want one, again depending on area.)

A more important question is whether your qualification would be accepted here, something you should verify before you decide to come out.

Good luck.

--A

[ches]

I tried living on R5000 in Cape Town 1999 and it involved driving a very cheap car and sharing a flat, also not having much disposable income. R6000 today would not go as far as R5000 then. You would not have anything close to the same lifestyle you have in PA. You could try working as a phlebotomist for a private hospital. There is a shortage of nurses, but remember you'd be in the firing line drawing blood in a country with about 20% HIV prevalence in the adult population. Are you South African? If not, getting a visa would be the biggest hurdle.