Why use Apostil for document notarisation?

Saving you time: We queue for you, we apply on your behalf, we call and travel many times to follow up on your applications and then collect once ready. Usually, we receive documents much, much faster than if you had applied alone, especially if you are based outside of South Africa. You save masses of time using our services.

Why use Apostil for document notarisation?

Experience and know-how: We are a reputable firm with an extensive track record. Other providers are typically back-street operators or single operators – be aware as your personal documentation is at stake. If your documentation has errors, we attempt to have this corrected, usually at no extra cost.

Apostil – Where are we based?

Apostil.co.za has various office addresses in the Western Cape and Gauteng. You can only courier them to us, please enquire for the address (depends on your requirement). We also offer a delivery and collection service within SA and globally, through DHL, The Courier Guy and other companies. To reiterate, we only accept documentation, couriered, to our addresses.

How many South Africans live abroad?

A recent LinkedIn post sparked lively discussion by listing countries where South Africans are said to live in significant numbers and concluding that “almost a million South Africans” now reside abroad. The post is useful as a starting point. It covers the usual destination countries and puts rough figures on the table, which invites a deeper, more careful look.

This article does exactly that.

Rather than criticising or dissecting the original post, we use it as a reference point and then layer in official statistics, census data, and credible public sources to answer a simple but important question:

How many South Africans live abroad, and how do we know?

Along the way, we also explain why migration numbers vary so widely, what different datasets measure, and how you should interpret these figures when planning emigration, legal processes, or document services such as apos t illes.

Why counting South Africans abroad is harder than it looks

Before diving into country-by-country numbers, it’s important to understand why no single “correct” number exists.

Different sources count different things:

Country of birth vs citizenship

Most national censuses count people born in South Africa, regardless of their current nationality. A South African-born person who later becomes a British or Australian citizen is still recorded as South African-born.

Census timing

Censuses are snapshots taken every five or ten years. Migration after the census date is not reflected until the next release.

Temporary vs permanent residents

Some countries include long-term visa holders. Others only count permanent residents. Short-term workers may not be captured at all.

Consular registration

Embassy or consular figures often rely on voluntary registration, which significantly undercounts the real population.

Due to these differences, responsible reporting necessitates clear definitions, precise dates, and reliable sources.

The LinkedIn figures as a point of reference

The LinkedIn post that prompted this discussion listed the following estimated numbers of South Africans living abroad:

Mozambique – 20,100
Germany – 20,300
Israel – 22,000
Netherlands – 41,000
Canada – 51,000
New Zealand – 71,000
UAE – 100,000
USA – 139,000
Australia – 206,000
United Kingdom – 217,000

These figures broadly align with where South Africans tend to emigrate, but the exact numbers require validation against official datasets.

Official figures: What the data actually shows

Below is a consolidated table comparing the LinkedIn estimates with official or widely accepted statistics, along with notes on data quality and sources. Where precise figures are unavailable, realistic ranges are provided.

Estimated South Africans living abroad by country

Country	LinkedIn estimate	Official / best available figure	Notes and primary data sources
United Kingdom	217,000	217,180 (2021)	UK Census 2021, Office for National Statistics. Country of birth: South Africa.
Australia	206,000	189,207 (2021 census) / 214,790 (2023 estimate)	Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census; Australian Department of Home Affairs 2023 population estimates.
United States	139,000	±123,000 (2021–2022)	US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS). South African-born residents.
Canada	51,000	51,590 (2021)	Statistics Canada, 2021 Census Profile.
Netherlands	41,000	±41,300 (2023)	Statistics Netherlands (CBS), StatLine population tables.
New Zealand	71,000	±95,577 (2023)	Stats NZ, 2023 Census. Significant growth since 2018.
UAE	100,000	Estimated 60,000–100,000+	UAE does not publish detailed nationality-of-birth data. Estimates from embassy and community sources vary.
Israel	22,000	±22,000	Israeli Aliyah and migration research reports.
Germany	20,300	Low to mid-20,000s	Destatis (German Federal Statistical Office), foreign-born population tables.
Mozambique	20,100	No reliable official figure	Cross-border labour and regional migration make accurate counting difficult.

What these numbers tell us (and what they don’t)

The ranking is broadly correct

The LinkedIn post correctly identifies the top destination countries for South Africans. The UK and Australia remain the largest hubs, followed by the USA, New Zealand, Canada, and parts of Europe.

Some figures are conservative, others generous

New Zealand stands out: official 2023 census data suggests the South African-born population is significantly higher than many older estimates.
USA figures are often overstated in informal discussions, while official census data points to a smaller but still substantial community.
UAE numbers are especially difficult to pin down due to temporary work visas and limited public data.

“Almost a million” depends on definition

If you count:

South African-born residents,
Naturalised citizens,
Long-term visa holders,
And descendants of South African emigrants,

Then, reaching a combined total of nearly one million is plausible.

However, official “South African-born” totals alone are lower.

What about registered voters abroad?

Another data point often cited in discussions about South Africans living overseas is registered overseas voters. While this information is valuable, it is frequently misunderstood. Apostil.co.za has access to the latest information available on South African voters registered abroad, and we consulted our recent figures.

According to official 2024 data from the Electoral Commission of South Africa, only tens of thousands of South Africans are registered to vote abroad. When broken down by country, the numbers are modest even in destinations with very large South African populations.

For example, the United Kingdom recorded just over 24,000 registered overseas voters, despite census data showing more than 217,000 South African-born residents. Australia and New Zealand, both home to sizeable South African communities, show overseas voter registration rates of only around two percent.

This disparity highlights an important reality: overseas voter registration measures participation, not population size.

Many South Africans living abroad:

Remain registered in South Africa rather than overseas,
Do not meet registration cut-off dates,
Live far from diplomatic missions,
Or choose not to participate in South African elections at all.

As a result, overseas voter data should be interpreted as a lower-bound indicator of engagement rather than an estimate of how many South Africans live in a given country. Used alongside census and migration data, it provides useful context, but on its own, it significantly understates the true size of the South African diaspora.

Why this matters for emigrants

Understanding where South Africans live abroad is more than a statistical exercise. These figures help paint a practical picture of life beyond South Africa’s borders and what emigrants can realistically expect in different destination countries.

For people considering or planning emigration, diaspora numbers often indicate:

The presence of established South African communities
Access to familiar cultural, social, and support networks
Availability of South African-focused legal, financial, and professional expertise
The likelihood of finding peers who have already navigated similar administrative and legal processes

Larger South African populations abroad can also signal where shared challenges are most common, including the need to deal with official documentation, identity verification, and cross-border administrative requirements.

Countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, which host sizeable South African communities, naturally see higher levels of engagement with immigration systems, foreign institutions, and home-country authorities. As a result, these destinations often provide clearer pathways, a more collective experience, and greater visibility into the practical realities of emigrating from South Africa.

Conclusion: a clearer, more responsible picture

The LinkedIn post that triggered this discussion performs an important role by drawing attention to South Africa’s growing diaspora. When examined alongside official data, its overall direction is sound, even if individual figures require refinement.

What the data shows clearly is this:

South Africans are widely dispersed across English-speaking countries and parts of Europe.
Official statistics confirm hundreds of thousands of South African-born individuals living abroad.
Precise totals depend on definitions, timing, and methodology.
For legal, immigration, and document purposes, country-specific data matters more than headline totals.

In other words, the story is not about disputing numbers, but about understanding them properly.

All figures are based on the most recent publicly available census, government, and institutional data at the time of publication. Where official statistics were unavailable, reputable secondary sources and published estimates were used.