Expert Info
on 16 Jan 2013
Hello I'm Italian married to a Japanese and we have two boys (4 years and 7 years old).
I've received a job offer from an Italian company as resident manager South Africa, so we should relocate in Joburg end of this year. The offer is 50k Euros per annum (before taxes), plus house and car.
The offer doesn't seem very attractive to me because, together with my wife, we have realized that private schools fees in Joburg are very high (around 10k euros per annum for each kid), and expatriate kids are advised not to go into public schools because not safe nor very good (is this true?).
So this is what I would like to know:
1)What is the taxation level on salaries in SA?
2)What would be a good salary for a middle-high expatriate manager?
3)What are the standard benefits for an expatriate (house, car, insurance, school fees etc)?
thank you in advance for your help
regards
Francesco
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Many expats do get reimbursed by their companies for school fees but this depends on your company's policies. There are some excellent public schools for boys in Johannesburg such as King Edward's School and Parktown Boys should you choose not to pay the high private school fees. Have a look at our Education and Schools in Johannesburg page for more information on public, private and international schools in Johannesburg.
As for the tax rate in South Africa, it varies depending on how much you earn. With your salary you will get taxed about 25 percent, this is just a rough estimate though. For more information about tax in South Africa visit the South African Revenue Service website.
As for whether this is enough for you and your family to live on depends entirely on your lifestyle. Have a look at our Cost of Living in Johannesburg page to get an idea of what your expenses might be like.
There are no "standard" benefits for expats in South Africa because it depends on the company you work for but a house, car and some assistance with school fees seems like the norm.
The best of luck with your move to Johannesburg.
I think safety depends entirely on where the school is situated. If the school is in a good area then your children will be safe there. Most reputable schools are in safe neighborhoods, but like in any city it is important that children are street smart and do not wander off on their own etc.
Safety becomes an issue when children are alone in unsafe areas. Kidnapping should not be an issue.
If you have any further questions please let me know.