SARS — Revenue and customs
How to apply for SARS jobs
SARS hires through the SuccessFactors eRecruit portal — no Z83, no walk-ins, no fees. Here's the step-by-step plus the Graduate Programme, CA Articles, Customs Officer and bursary routes.
- Careers hub
- sars.gov.za/careers
- eRecruit portal
- career2.successfactors.eu
- HQ
- Lehae La SARS, Pretoria
- Z83 required?
- No — SARS uses its own forms
- Cost
- Free
- Anti-corruption
- 0800 00 2870
Who SARS hires
- South African citizens (work permit holders for limited specialist roles)
- Graduate in Training (General): 3-year degree/diploma aligned to an advertised career path, aged 18–35
- CA Articles Programme: BCom Honours + PGDA or CTA; willing to write SAICA ITC and APC board exams
- Tax/Audit roles: BCom in Tax, Accounting or Internal Audit, sometimes with experience
- Customs Officer: Matric (Grade 12) minimum; Customs Admin/Logistics diploma advantageous; clean criminal and tax record; SA citizen; physical fitness; willing to do 24/7 shifts
- IT/Data: relevant degree (Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science)
- Internships: matriculants or final-year HEI/FET College students
- Bursaries: SA citizen or PR; Matric or final-year Matric; ~70% average preferred; Maths Level 6 for accounting/engineering/science streams; demonstrated financial need
What you'll need
- Detailed CV
- Certified copies of SA ID
- Certified copies of qualifications (degrees, matric certificate, transcripts)
- Driver's licence (where relevant)
- Two contactable referees
- Cover letter (optional but recommended)
- SARS tax reference number (used for the compliance check during application)
Step by step
-
Browse vacancies on sars.gov.za
Start at sars.gov.za/careers/vacancies. Each role links through to the SuccessFactors eRecruit portal. -
Register on SuccessFactors eRecruit
The portal lives at career2.successfactors.eu. Click New User, register with email and password, and verify your account. -
Complete your profile fully
Work history, qualifications, language, references, and your SARS tax reference number. The system runs a tax compliance check at application — outstanding returns or debts will disqualify you. -
Upload your CV in PDF
PDF is preferred. Tailor the CV to the SARS competency framework — generic CVs are screened out fast. -
Search and apply
Find the specific vacancy via the eRecruit search, click into it, complete role-specific questions, and submit before the closing date. -
Join the Talent Community
If no live role fits, join one of SARS's 12 talent pools (Auditors, IT, Data Analytics, Legal, Engineers, Graduates, Service Consultants, Debt Collectors, Trade & Economics, Project Management, Persons with Disabilities, SASL Interpreters). Most permanent recruitment draws from these pools.Tip: Average end-to-end hiring cycle is around 75 days (per Glassdoor). Expect shortlist call → assessments → panel interview → background/credit/tax/criminal vetting → offer.
You don't need a Z83 for SARS
SARS is not a Public Service department — it's a Schedule 3A public entity that sits outside the Public Service Act. That means the Z83 application form is not required.
The Z83 is only for national and provincial government departments. SARS uses its own SuccessFactors eRecruit forms. Don't waste time attaching a Z83 to a SARS application.
SARS Graduate in Training Programme
Duration: 24 months (General) or 36 months (CA Articles stream).
Structure: a Learner Activity Manual co-developed with SARS subject matter experts, structured rotations across business areas, partnerships with universities and professional bodies.
Fields: BCom Tax, BCom Accounting Sciences, Internal Audit, IT, Data Analytics, Legal, Economics, Engineering.
Stipend: monthly (amount not publicly published).
Outcome: trainees who meet requirements may be placed into permanent vacancies.
CA Articles competency areas: Accounting & External Reporting, Auditing & Assurance, Financial Management, Management Decision-Making, Internal Audit, Risk Management & Governance, Taxation.
Customs Officer roles
Customs Officers work at SA's ports of entry and border posts — container, vehicle and luggage inspection; duty calculation; anti-smuggling enforcement.
Eligibility: Matric minimum; Customs Admin diploma advantageous; SA citizen; clean criminal and tax record; medically and physically fit.
Training: structured induction at SARS Academy with on-the-job rotation.
Locations: OR Tambo, Cape Town and Durban harbours, Beitbridge (Zimbabwe border), Lebombo (Mozambique), Maseru Bridge (Lesotho), Kopfontein, Ficksburg, and other ports of entry.
SARS Bursary
Administered by CareerWise (Pty) Ltd on behalf of SARS.
Priority fields: BCom Tax, BCom Accounting Sciences (CA stream), Auditing, Information Technology, Information Systems, Computer Science, Law, Economics, Actuarial Science, Engineering (Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Industrial, Mechanical, Mining, Metallurgy, Mine Survey, Geology), Chemistry.
Coverage: tuition, accommodation, meals, prescribed books, monthly allowance.
Closing date: typically 30 May annually.
Contact: CareerWise, 086 100 8777 / 086 100 7787, applications@careerwise.co.za.
Internships
- General internship: 24-month contract with a monthly stipend, for matriculants and final-year HEI/FET students.
- SARS 2026 Internship Skills Programme: an 18-month intensive programme focused on cloud computing, cybersecurity, data analytics and software development. Feeds SARS's national digital transformation strategy.
Apply via the eRecruit portal when intakes open — typically late Q4 / Q1 of each year.
Common reasons SARS applications are rejected
- Incomplete eRecruit profile (CV-only without filling the structured fields)
- Failing the tax compliance check — outstanding returns or debts disqualify you
- Failing criminal vetting (especially for Customs and Investigations roles)
- Poor preparation for the psychometric assessment (numerical, verbal, abstract, logical reasoning)
- Generic CV not tailored to SARS competency framework
- Missing certified copies of qualifications
- Not joining the Talent Community when no live role fits — most permanent recruitment draws from these pools
SARS job scams
SARS has formally warned about fake job-offer scams. Common patterns:
- WhatsApp, SMS or email offering a "guaranteed SARS job" — sometimes asking for upfront "application fees", "training fees" or "uniform fees"
- Spoofed emails using SARS branding and logos
- Calls claiming to be a "SARS recruiter" demanding ID or banking info
- Fake offer letters with SARS letterhead
How to verify:
- SARS recruitment only comes via the SuccessFactors eRecruit portal — never WhatsApp or unsolicited email
- SARS never charges any fee at any stage
- SARS never asks for banking details during recruitment
- Genuine SARS emails come from @sars.gov.za domains only
- Cross-check the vacancy on sars.gov.za/careers/vacancies/
- Forward suspicious messages to phishing@sars.gov.za
- SARS does not send hyperlinks to external websites
SARS contact details
- Anti-Corruption Hotline: 0800 00 2870
- Phishing/scam email: phishing@sars.gov.za
- General SARS contact: 0800 00 7277
- SARS WhatsApp: +27 800 11 7277
- Online suspicious-activity form: sars.gov.za/targeting-tax-crime/report-a-tax-crime/
- Head office: Lehae La SARS, 299 Bronkhorst Street, Nieuw Muckleneuk, Pretoria 0181