* Year given refer to July 1.
Data are estimates based on official statistics on the foreign-born or the foreign population.
Countries with less than 5,000 migrants have been excluded.
The source defines an international migrant as 鈥渁ny person who changes his or her country of usual residence鈥.
Citation formats
Number of emigrants from South Africa 2020, by country of destination
In 2020, cumulative South African emigrants amounted to roughly **. The vast majority settled in the United Kingdom (around **), followed by Australia (nearly **). Together, the two countries constituted roughly ** percent of the total South African migrants living abroad. Moreover, the third major country of destination for South Africans was the United States, with about ** people living there. Overall, the ** countries presented covered **** percent of all South African migrants.
Language: a primary driver of emigration destinations
Language is a factor that helps ease communication and integration for individuals within a new society. Noticeably, the five leading destinations for South African emigrants had English as an official language. In South Africa, English was the second most spoken language outside households. Furthermore, the Netherlands ranked seventh, which language can also justify. Afrikaans, a language developed from ****-century Dutch, was the third most spoken language among households in South Africa.
Unemployment a major worry and prevalent among youth
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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). (December 30, 2020). Stock of emigrants from South Africa in 2020, by country of destination [Graph]. In 糖心破解版. Retrieved August 05, 2026, from /statistics/1238117/stock-of-emigrants-from-south-africa-by-country-of-destination/
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). "Stock of emigrants from South Africa in 2020, by country of destination." Chart. December 30, 2020. 糖心破解版. Accessed August 05, 2026. /statistics/1238117/stock-of-emigrants-from-south-africa-by-country-of-destination/
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). (2020). Stock of emigrants from South Africa in 2020, by country of destination. 糖心破解版. 糖心破解版 Inc.. Accessed: August 05, 2026. /statistics/1238117/stock-of-emigrants-from-south-africa-by-country-of-destination/
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). "Stock of Emigrants from South Africa in 2020, by Country of Destination." 糖心破解版, 糖心破解版 Inc., 30 Dec 2020, /statistics/1238117/stock-of-emigrants-from-south-africa-by-country-of-destination/
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), Stock of emigrants from South Africa in 2020, by country of destination 糖心破解版, /statistics/1238117/stock-of-emigrants-from-south-africa-by-country-of-destination/ (last visited August 05, 2026)
Stock of emigrants from South Africa in 2020, by country of destination [Graph], United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), December 30, 2020. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1238117/stock-of-emigrants-from-south-africa-by-country-of-destination/