Durban - South Africa’s stable economy is providing a haven for foreign professionals who are now packing up their lives – in countries that many South Africans dream of living in – and heading to these shores.
In contrast, the number of South Africans “packing for Perth” or other popular countries has steadily declined.
Emigration and immigration companies say the allure of countries such as the UK has dropped because of the economic crisis in Europe, while South Africans also generally choose to remain for all the good the country has, as opposed to leaving for the bad.
Leon Isaacson, the managing director of Global Migration SA, which specialises in emigration and immigration, said there had been a 30 percent increase year on year in foreigners wanting to live in South Africa.
Most were young professionals coming to work here.
Economic hubs Joburg and Cape Town were the preferred areas to settle in, while those who wanted a more relaxed lifestyle were opting for KZN and the Garden Route, Isaacson said.
Daniel Anvari-Brown, from Global Visas, said the British, in particular, loved to come to South Africa, as well as German and Dutch nationals.
“The foreigners see the emerging market here and want to be part of it. They also like to retire in South Africa.
Anvari-Brown said the company received many enquiries from former South Africans wanting to reclaim their citizenship.
“South Africans always come back,” he said.
Angel Jones, a spokeswoman for Homecoming Revolution, which brings African skills home, agreed, saying there was an increase in returning expats.
“South Africa’s Brain Drain Retention Ranking in the global competitiveness report has improved from 80 to 47 over the past five years,” she said, adding that this was owing to lifestyle changes, such as having children or getting married, not able to keep work overseas because of the economy, and tighter visa restrictions in the UK.
This, and also because the UK government was clamping down on jobs for foreigners, was why the UK was currently “extremely quiet”, Isaacson said.
“However, countries that are still importing skills are Australia and Canada. There are also a lot of South Africans going into Africa for work purposes,” he said.
South Africans also went overseas to join family or escape crime and corruption, the state of politics, or a failing education system.
“All this is fairly subjective, but this is the kind of thing you hear from families,” he said.
Foreign countries South Africans chose to emigrate to included Australia, China, India and the US, while popular African countries are Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.
Anvari-Brown said South Africans loved Australia, while Canada, with its cold and snowy climate, was also a drawcard.
Other common factors for leaving included parents wanting to give their children an additional passport, he said.
Crime was a commonly stated reason for leaving the country.
“One thing I always tell people is not to go because of crime, because there is crime all over the world,” he said.
John Dunn, immigration manager for 1st Contact, who assists South Africans moving to other countries for emigration, travel or work, said the scrapping of the UK’s two-year working holiday visa a few years ago brought to a halt an annual average of 100 000 young South Africans who went to the country to live and work. However, many South Africans still had access to the UK through their ancestry.
Although the company’s speciality was the UK and Australia, it received many queries from South Africans wanting to move to Canada and New Zealand.
Dunn said top reasons people left South Africa included:
* The elderly wanting to join their children living and working in the UK.
* Young couples with children who felt the UK offered a more stable future.
* Young graduates who wanted to see the world.
He said the cost of living in London was not a demotivating factor, as a person could live in a flat, buy groceries and afford creature comforts even working in a bar or at McDonalds.
CASE STUDIES
Crime, education, and better work opportunities – the reasons many South Africans leave their home country.
The sense of belonging, lifestyle and family – the reasons many return.
Belinda Henning and her husband left their home and business in Richards Bay in 2007 and emigrated to Australia. Their reason was to give their children “a fair go” and also to get away from crime.
Henning said life in Perth was relaxed, with no security fences around homes. Her daughter was able jog without worrying about safety. It was also the norm for women to stay at home to look after their children as childcare was expensive.
Wesley Verwey, who went to the UK in 2009, said he would never return. “There is no desperation here. If I want something I can have it. I don’t worry about putting food on my table, I go out whenever I want – within reason – and don’t ever have to look over my shoulder when I’m alone. And when I call the police they come in minutes.”
Eugene Westenraad, who also lives in the UK, said he missed South Africa, but moving back would be taking a step back as far as he and his wife’s careers were concerned.
“I miss the lifestyle and friends back home but not the crime or bars in front of the doors and windows,” he said,
However, Gregg Dardagan, who lived in London with his wife for almost eight years, returned in December 2011 to give their children a better education and an outdoor lifestyle.
He said the weather allowed families to spend more time together outdoors, while older children here were less likely to be influenced by negative factors present in London.
Sue Venter, who lived in Dubai for five years, but has been back for six, said her close family was the reason she had come home.
“I had the opportunity to visit many countries and when anyone asked me which was my favourite I would always say South Africa. We really are the friendliest nation.” - The Mercury