Updated 2026-11-16
ESSA is the Department of Employment and Labour's Employment Services of South Africa system. You can register as a work seeker, build a CV profile, search vacancies and apply online. The Department says these online services are free of charge.
Never pay anyone to register you, submit an ESSA application or promise you a job.
This guide uses the Department's current portal and contact pages. The detailed Department ESSA application guide was published on 18 August 2022, so check the live portal and the vacancy notice for any changed fields or instructions.
Open the official ESSA registration page. Select the option to register as an individual and continue when prompted.
| Have this ready | What the official portal says |
|---|---|
| Surname | It is used to verify your profile. |
| South African ID number | The portal asks for a 13-digit identity number. |
| Email address | Your username and password are sent to this address after successful registration. |
Accept the ESSA terms and conditions, enter your ID number, surname, email address and the security text shown on screen, then submit the registration. The Department's ESSA steps guide shows this process.
Check your email for the login details. The guide says your login name is your RSA ID number. If you have no ID number, or registration is unsuccessful, the ESSA portal directs you to visit a Department of Home Affairs office to apply for or verify your identity number.
Log in and complete or update the profile sections for personal details, contact information, education and training, and employment history. ESSA uses this information to compile a CV that you can view, print or download.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Update your profile | Capture your contact details, education and training, and employment history before applying. |
| 2. Search vacancies | Choose Search Opportunity. Use Advanced Search to filter opportunities, or enter an opportunity reference number if the advert gives one. |
| 3. Read the full advert | Open the opportunity and check the personal, qualification and work criteria before applying. |
| 4. Apply | Select Apply on the vacancy page. Keep checking the portal and the contact details you provided. |
The Department's 18 August 2022 guide says applications are screened against the opportunity requirements before they are released to an organisation. Do not assume that registration or an application guarantees an interview or placement.
If you cannot sign in, use the portal's Forgot Password option. The Department's guide says to enter your names, surname and login name as they appear on your ID, then submit. For password resets, the Department lists pes@labour.gov.za.
You can go to a Department of Employment and Labour labour centre for work-seeker services. Public Employment Services registers work seekers and retrenched workers on ESSA, matches work seekers with available opportunities, and advises work seekers about access to education and training and social-security benefits.
Use the official labour centre directory to find your province and centre. It lists individual centre addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses and operating hours. Check your chosen centre's listing before travelling because details can differ by centre.
Ask specifically for assistance with ESSA work-seeker registration, updating your profile or CV, and searching for opportunities. For Public Employment Services call-centre queries, the Department lists pescontactcentre@labour.gov.za.
Take your ID number and use an email address you can access, because ESSA sends login details and password resets by email.
The official ESSA registration page says you need your surname, a 13-digit identity number and an email address. You also enter the security text displayed on the registration form.
Yes. The Department's ESSA information page says its online work-seeker services are offered free of charge. Do not pay a person or business to register you or to secure a job.
Public Employment Services states that it registers work seekers and retrenched workers on ESSA. Find a centre in the Department's official labour centre directory and check its contact details before you go.
Use Forgot Password on the ESSA login page. The Department's ESSA guide says to provide the required details exactly as they appear on your ID. The Department lists pes@labour.gov.za for password resets.
No. The Department's 18 August 2022 ESSA guide says an application is screened against the registered opportunity requirements before it is released to the organisation.