How many South Africans moved to Canada in 2025?
1,100 South African citizens became permanent residents of Canada in 2025, according to IRCC's monthly figures (file updated on 21 October 2026). That is 485 fewer than in 2024 (1,585), a change of −30.6%. From January to August 2026: 605.
Canada · South African citizens · 2025: 1,100 new permanent residents
Source: IRCC, Canada – Permanent Residents by Country of Citizenship (monthly) (CSV, updated on 21 October 2026, data to August 2026, downloaded on 28 October 2026). IRCC rounds each monthly count to the nearest multiple of 5; yearly figures are our sum of the months. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
What this number is, and what it is not
- It is the number of South African citizens who became permanent residents of Canada in 2025, by citizenship, from IRCC's monthly open data.
- It is not the number who arrived in 2025: many new permanent residents already lived in Canada on a work or study permit, and people who arrived on a temporary work or study permit are not counted until they become permanent residents.
- It is not the number of South Africans living in Canada, which is much larger.
- IRCC rounds each monthly count to the nearest multiple of 5 and shows counts between 0 and 5 as "--", so our yearly sums can differ slightly from IRCC's own yearly totals.
South Africans becoming permanent residents of Canada, year by year
| Year | New permanent residents | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1,795 | – |
| 2020 | 1,120 | −37.6% |
| 2021 | 1,610 | +43.8% |
| 2022 | 1,740 | +8.1% |
| 2023 | 2,065 | +18.7% |
| 2024 | 1,585 | −23.2% |
| 2025 | 1,100 | −30.6% |
| January–August 2026 | 605 | – |
Source: IRCC, Canada – Permanent Residents by Country of Citizenship (monthly) (CSV, updated on 21 October 2026, data to August 2026, downloaded on 28 October 2026). IRCC rounds each monthly count to the nearest multiple of 5; yearly figures are our sum of the months. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
IRCC category: "South Africa, Republic of". This IRCC file does not say why people became permanent residents (work, family, refugee), so there is no breakdown by reason here.
Questions people ask
How many South Africans moved to Canada in 2025?
1,100 South African citizens became permanent residents of Canada in 2025, according to IRCC. That is 485 fewer than in 2024 (1,585), a change of −30.6%.
How many South Africans moved to Canada in 2024?
1,585 South African citizens became permanent residents of Canada in 2024 (IRCC).
How many South Africans have moved to Canada in 2026?
605 South African citizens became permanent residents of Canada from January to August 2026, the latest month in IRCC's file. Monthly data are provisional and can change.
Does this count all South Africans who moved to Canada?
No. It counts new permanent residents only. People who arrived on a temporary work or study permit are not counted until they become permanent residents, and many new permanent residents were already living in Canada.
Visas and statistics for Canada on this site
Where else South Africans moved in 2025
How many South Africans moved abroad in 2025 · Who moved where: all nationalities · Visa income calculator