How many South Africans moved to Europe in 2025?

9,529 South African citizens received a first residence permit in one of the 27 EU countries in 2025, according to Eurostat (data updated on 22 October 2026). That is 1,098 fewer than in 2024 (10,627), a change of −10.3%. The most went to Netherlands (3,459), Ireland (1,120) and Germany (999). Another 446 received one in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. Outside the EU and EFTA, in 2025, 1,100 South African citizens became permanent residents of Canada (IRCC), and the UK granted South African citizens 4,947 work, study and family visas (Home Office).

First residence permits in the EUSouth African citizens · 2025

27 EU countries · South African citizens · 2025: 9,529 first residence permits

10,627in 2024

−10.3%change on 2024

446Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland (−13.7%)

4European countries with 500+ permits

By reason: work 3,482 (36.5%), family 3,177 (33.3%), other reasons 1,733 (18.2%), education 1,137 (11.9%).

Source: Eurostat, First permits by reason, length of validity and citizenship (migr_resfirst), data updated on 22 October 2026, downloaded on 28 October 2026 (definitions). First residence permits, persons. Re-use: Eurostat copyright notice (free re-use with acknowledgement, CC BY 4.0).

What this number is, and what it is not

It is the number of South African citizens who received a residence permit in an EU country for the first time in 2025: a permit valid for at least 3 months, for family, education, work or other reasons. A permit also counts as "first" when the person had none for the same reason in the 6 months before.
It is not a count of moves: some people who receive a permit never move, or leave soon after, and someone who received permits in two countries is counted in both.
It leaves out South Africans who also hold an EU passport (the statistics cover non-EU citizens only), stays shorter than 3 months and renewed permits.
It is not the number of South Africans living in an EU country, which is much larger.

Ireland: PPS numbers by month

Ireland also publishes a monthly count by nationality: 1,003 PPS numbers allocated to South African citizens from January to September 2026, 1,195 in 2025 (Department of Social Protection, data to September 2026). A PPS number is not a count of arrivals.

How many South Africans moved to Ireland: PPS numbers month by month

Source: Department of Social Protection (Ireland), Annual Allocations: PPS Numbers (gov.ie, page updated on 21 October 2026): PPSN registrations by year, month and country and by year and country (CSV, downloaded on 30 October 2026), data to September 2026. Licence: CC BY 4.0 (data.gov.ie).

How many South Africans moved to each EU country in 2025

First residence permits issued to South African citizens, by EU country, from the most. Tap a column heading to sort. Countries with at least 500 permits in 2025 have their own page.

First residence permits issued to South African citizens by EU country, 2025 and 2024, with reasons for 2025

Netherlands	3,459	3,729	−7.2%	1,395	118	1,218	728
Ireland	1,120^u	1,979	−43.4%	123^u	92^u	522^u	383^u
Germany	999	826	+20.9%	399	215	366	19
Portugal	680^b	609	+11.7%	315	5	143^b	217
France	416	520	−20.0%	92	144	108	72
Spain	351	484	−27.5%	120	67	147	17
Belgium	333	325	+2.5%	97	60	143	33
Hungary	277	281	−1.4%	36	143	70	28
Poland	265	306	−13.4%	24	54	141	46
Denmark	247	220	+12.3%	54	34	134	25
Sweden	232	316	−26.6%	108	53	65	6
Italy	159	135	+17.8%	64	47	24	24
Malta	151	141	+7.1%	38	4	60	49
Lithuania	146	33	+342.4%	1	7	138	0
Austria	114	128	−10.9%	55	15	37	7
Cyprus	109	98	+11.2%	28	17	40	24
Greece	105	76	+38.2%	60	3	6	36
Finland	99	62	+59.7%	51	9	38	1
Luxembourg	80	127	−37.0%	43	13	22	2
Czechia	69	87	−20.7%	27	15	23	4
Romania	36	39	−7.7%	7	15	10	4
Bulgaria	19	29	−34.5%	9	3	7	0
Croatia	18	28	−35.7%	7	2	4	5
Estonia	15	9	+66.7%	9	0	6	0
Latvia	13	9	+44.4%	4	2	5	2
Slovakia	9	11	−18.2%	7	0	2	0
Slovenia	8	20	−60.0%	4	0	3	1
EU-27 total	9,529	10,627	−10.3%	3,177	1,137	3,482	1,733

b = Eurostat marks a break in the time series in 2025 for Portugal: the change from 2024 may partly reflect a change in how permits are counted. u = Eurostat marks the 2025 figures for Ireland as having low reliability.

Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland

First residence permits issued to South African citizens by EFTA countries, 2025 and 2024
Country	2025	2024	Change	Family	Education	Work	Other
Switzerland	301	395	−23.8%	88	48	158	7
Norway	127	109	+16.5%	38	24	63	2
Iceland	15	7	+114.3%	8	2	5	0
Liechtenstein	3	6	−50.0%	3	0	0	0

Source: Eurostat, First permits by reason, length of validity and citizenship (migr_resfirst), data updated on 22 October 2026, downloaded on 28 October 2026 (definitions). First residence permits, persons. These four countries are not in the EU total. Re-use: Eurostat copyright notice (free re-use with acknowledgement, CC BY 4.0).

South Africans moving to the EU, year by year (2019–2025)

First residence permits issued to South African citizens in the 27 EU countries by year and reason
Year	All reasons	Family	Education	Work	Other	Valid 12+ months
2019	8,643	3,377	902	2,856	1,508	–
2020	6,371	2,486	666	2,027	1,192	–
2021	8,833	3,434	914	3,049	1,436	6,970
2022	12,536	4,492	1,088	4,800	2,156	9,472
2023	11,995	4,212	1,093	4,627	2,063	9,199
2024	10,627	3,446	1,073	4,039	2,069	7,990
2025	9,529	3,177	1,137	3,482	1,733	7,519

Source: Eurostat, First permits by reason, length of validity and citizenship (migr_resfirst), data updated on 22 October 2026, downloaded on 28 October 2026 (definitions). First residence permits, persons. EU-27 = the 27 current EU countries in every year. Eurostat revises past years when countries correct their data. Re-use: Eurostat copyright notice (free re-use with acknowledgement, CC BY 4.0).

Canada and United Kingdom

Canada and the UK publish different figures, so they are not added to the European total: Canada counts new permanent residents by citizenship; the UK counts work, study and family visas granted.

Canada1,100 new permanent residents in 2025
−30.6% on 2024 · IRCC United Kingdom4,947 work, study and family visas granted in 2025
−36.6% on 2024 · Home Office

Questions people ask

How many South Africans moved to Europe in 2025?

9,529 South African citizens received a first residence permit in an EU country in 2025 (Eurostat). That is 1,098 fewer than in 2024 (10,627), a change of −10.3%. Another 446 received one in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

Which European country do most South Africans move to?

In 2025 the EU countries that issued the most first permits to South African citizens were Netherlands (3,459), Ireland (1,120) and Germany (999).

How many South Africans moved to the Netherlands in 2025?

3,459 South African citizens received a first residence permit in the Netherlands in 2025. Details by reason and year.

How many South Africans moved to Ireland in 2025?

1,120 South African citizens received a first residence permit in Ireland in 2025. Details by reason and year.

How many South Africans moved to Canada in 2025?

1,100 South African citizens became permanent residents of Canada in 2025 (IRCC). Year by year.

How many South Africans moved to the UK in 2025?

The UK granted 4,947 work, study and family visas to South African citizens in 2025 (Home Office). By type and year.

How many South Africans moved to Ireland in 2026?

Ireland allocated 1,003 PPS numbers to South African citizens from January to September 2026 (Department of Social Protection); PPS numbers allocated are not the same as people who moved. Month by month.

Is this the number of South Africans living in Europe?

No. These are new permits issued in 2025. South Africans who have lived in Europe for years, renewed their permits or hold an EU passport are not counted.

Visa statistics for South Africa

Visa refusal rates for South Africa: Schengen, UK and more

Other nationalities

Who moved where: all nationalities · Visa refusal rates · Visa income calculator