South African Immigration.
80My Home Town, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
One third of South Africans Are Currently Living Outside South Africa
Something like one third of South Africans are expat. That means that they are living in other countries. The great migration probably started around 1948 with the introduction of apartheid and it never stopped. Through the turbulent years of South African history, there would be increases and decreases in immigration, for example, after Sharpsville, and after apartheid was finally dismantled.
The Reasons People Change Countries
There are many reasons people leave their country of birth. For some, it’s a matter of further education. For others, it’s an economic necessity. Still others are political refugees. In South Africa, all those come into play, but probably the biggest current reason is the extreme criminal violence in the country. It is the most violent country in the world outside an active war zone.
A Green Card Lottery Winner
South Africans Who Settled in Australia
Leaving Friends and Familiarity Behind
When people begin to think about immigration, several points of acceptance along a journey have been reached. One point of acceptance might be leaving family and life long friends behind. Another point of acceptance might be going to a country where one often doesn’t know a single soul. Still another point of acceptance might be leaving a familiar culture behind and stepping into a way of doing things that is strange. The language will be different and the people will be different. Perhaps, the value of familiarity can only really be understood when it is no longer there.
The Financial Cost of Immigration
The financial cost of immigration is enormous. I’ve done it twice now, and it’s not just a matter of buying a ticket on an airline out of a country. There are numerous police checks, consulate visits, vaccinations, medical check-ups, cost of shipping possessions, etc. When relocating from the United Kingdom to America, I had to have a full medical to determine that I didn’t have any transmittable diseases. I also needed to have a full police check in both South Africa and England. When one is doing this for the entire family, it’s an enormous operation. In terms of money and effort. One probably also needs at least a year’s income plus the cost of resettling in the new country before takikng the step. It’s neither cheap nor easy.
South Africans in the UK
Meeting Immigration Requirements
Every country has immigration requirements. Most South Africans have relocated to Australia as the country of choice. Others have gone to New Zealand, England, Europe, America, and South America. America is the most difficult to get into and England probably the easiest. Ergo, I went to the UK first. However, I also carry dual nationality (half German) so I didn’t need to immigrate to the UK. I just relocated. I had to immigrate to America, however.
Most countries work on a point score. Under a certain age has a higher score than over a certain age. Speaking the language of the country has a high score. Not speaking it has a low score. Having a qualification or skills that the country is short of gives a high score. Not having anything to offer in that arena gives a low score. Having mega million bucks to set up a business and employ nationals of the new country gets a high score. Not bringing money has a low score. The higher one’s score, the more likely the country is to accept one as an immigrant. It has become increasingly difficult to immigrate in recent years, however, as some countries feel that they simply have too many immigrants.
1/3 South Africans Expat. The South African Diaspora
Specific to America
America has two immigration aspects that other countries don’t have. Close immediate family in America allows one to immigrate to it. The other one is the Green Card Diversity Lottery (this is how I immigrated). The Green Card Diversity Lottery allows 50,000 individuals to gain entrance each year as a legal entity, provided they come from one of the countries where individuals from that country don’t often immigrate to the USA. Ergo, Brits and Mexicans can’t enter the Green Card lottery. However, South Africans and nationals from most European countries can.
Saying Goodbye to One’s Birth Country
There is always an element of heartbreak involved in leaving a country. It doesn’t matter how terrible the situation is in that country. First generation immigrants seldom feel at ‘home’ in their new countries. A country is as much part of one’s inner home as one’s parents are. There is also a strong cultural identity that is never the same in other countries.
White South African Genocide
Relocating to New Zealand from South Africa
Saying Hello to a New and Different Culture
This is probably one of the most difficult things imaginable. Some countries have similar cultures to each other. South Africans migrate to Australia because the life style is similar to the South African one. Some find their way to the UK because the culture is similar – at least for English speaking South Africans. Going to a South American country, an Asian one, or America accentuates just how different cultures can be. And it’s not easy. Even if one loves aspects of one’s new culture and/or language, there are many misunderstandings, some of which never really disappear.
Levels of closeness to people differ. In South America, people are much closer to each other. In America, there’s a lot more distance between people. In England, one understates everything. In America, there’s a lot of hype. In South Africa, the front door is always open for unexpected visitors. In neither England or America would that be acceptable. In Germany, life is much more formal. In Australia, it’s about as informal as it can get. The older one is, the more difficult it is to adjust.
South Africans Flee To Canada
If You're Looking for a Country to Immigrate to...
Immigration is tough and not everybody qualifies to gain entry into the country they would prefer. How to Immigrate to Another Country is an ebook written to provide options for those who are looking to immigrate. It takes into consideration that some many people are past the optimal age, don't have a Master's degree in Science, or have relatives living in the country that they would like to. There are far more options than originally thought. Read How to Immigrate to Another Country.
South Africans immigrating to Israel
Saying Goodbye To South Africa
Saying goodbye to South Africa is not an easy thing to do. Some have to learn new languages. Others have to take whatever country they can get. Many start off in other countries with a much lower standard of living. While some have returned to South Africa because it is very difficult to adapt to a new culture, others remain, content that their children are safe. In most countries, there are so many South Africans that get-togethers can be organized with a bit of effort. Sometimes it requires travel to another city, but many make the journey in order to feel the 'home culture.'
Is the Price of Immigration Worth It?
Generally, people don’t immigrate for themselves, but for their children. It is the children who are given the opportunity of a better life. The children adopt the new country as their own. Is the price worth it? Only time will tell.
Are You Currently an ExPat - South African or Otherwise?
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@)mio cid. I suppose if all countries were happy, nobody would have to immigrate. People in live in nice countries, i.e. Australians, New Zealanders, Europeans, etc. tend not to immigrate. The people who immigrate come from countries where things are difficult.
I'm curious as to your view.
you're absolutely right , moreover you said something that in almost every case, be it for economic, political ,or social reasons is the main motive for migration and that is the children ,the future generation.
@ mio. The US immigration policy was based on the belief that the creativity and hard work that was the norm in the USA was the result of immigrants (who tended to be hard workers) and the differences they brought with them. They thought that diversity was the reason for the success of the nation.
Actually, creativity results when people have sufficient spare time, energy, and money to be able to invest in their interests. And it wasn't so much hard work as the fact that all countries in the new world were unexploited. As in America, new world countries like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South America, Canada, etc. all grew rapidly as a result of exploiting natural resources. Problems in some came about as a result of indigenous populations that suffere as a result of that commercial exploitation.
The reason America stands out is simply that it had the largest land mass of the new world countries that was under one government. Consequently, they had more people. Ergo, they had a greater success.
It wasn't the result of anyone in America working any harder than immigrants to the other countries worked.
Also, there isn't so much an immigratoin problem here, as a border problem and a corporate problem. If American business did not employ these people, they wouldn't stay. I can give you a 100% guarantee that they are staying because they are finding jobs - not because they are sapping the country of welfare benefits. They aren't.
I enjoyed your article and learning a little more about S. Africa. I was unaware that the country is still struggling so much. I hope they can have peace there soon. Thanks for sharing.
@Bev, in my opinion, peace will not come to South Africa, anymore than it has some to any other African country - for the same reasons. There is a slow robbery of white assets, and this will continue. For example, if there is a board on a corporate company, a certain percentage needs to be black (about 90%). This means that it has nothing to do with ability but with color.
Already, electricity is being switched off in the main metropolitan areas for two or three hours per day. This means if one has a fridge, that everything in the fridge or freezer gets defrosted. Not a way to live.
I expect within a decade or two for South Africa to be back in the bush, just as every other sub-saharan country has gone.
Thanks for sharing. I knew there were lots of africans living here but was unaware that the percentage was so high. I guess there's not that many living in our area.
@perfectperception. The South Africans in this article are generally white, not African. That's because most South Africans who leave South Africa are European, not African.
Hi Sophia. Very informative article and well written. I am second generation Australian with my Grandmother (father's side) being Dutch-German and migrating from South Africa to Perth around the 1900's. Your article inspires me to find out more about my family and the sacrifices that they have made.
@ Trinsky, that would make you third generaition, with your grandmother, the generation that immigrated from South Africa to Perth the first genreation. It is the generation that immion.Sgrates thaet is called 1st generation (I hope I've got that right.) Perth is the favorite Autralian destination for South Africans - so much so that it is known as 'packing for Perth.' :)
I’m concerned about my grandchildren. I see no future for them in SA. But for us the time has not yet come to leave. Perhaps it will never come. I wish you all of the best out there. Thanks to modern technology you will be able to stay connected to our beautiful country.
@ Yes, I worry about relatives in SA. I think many of us do. Just educate your grandchildren well. They will need it when it is time to leave.
Sophia Angelique
ALLOW ME TO COMMENT ON ILLEGALS ,you said ‘’not because they are sapping the country of welfare benefits. They aren't.’’
ILLEGAL immigrants coming across our borders and taking advantage of US Government entitlement to the cost to American taxpayers as much as $300 BILLION a year.
Our politicians in Washington proclaim that ‘’ We are a nation of the rule of law ‘’. Americans are charitable and accept LEGAL immigration.
We the people are angry with our government not enforcing the nations laws in these troubled times. We have poor in our country and because of the recession they need additional help.
Illegals willfully exploit our laws and entitlements. One should consider their actions as stealing, stealing is breaking the law.
@ Jon, I don't know where you get your information, but have you ever tried to get on social welfare? Do you know how difficult it is? Do you know how much thley check you out? It is all but impossible to receive welfare assistance if one doesn't have the legal documents.
http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=200
If you want to know just how hard it is to get on to these programs, I suggest you begin to apply. I suggest you begin to examine the facts by going to sources who actually investigate the facts - like the USA government. I suggest you stop listening to urban legend! :)
Do you know how I found that out? Because about 18 months after I arrived in the USA, I went through a really hard time finanically for two months. At the time, I couldn't understand why illigal immigrants could receive assistance. When I started asking that from state officials, they asked me to point out one program that supported illigal aliens. I couldn't. It is absolutely impossible to receive financial assistance without documentation.
http://blogs.chron.com/immigration/archives/2008/0
Incidentally, I am a legal immigrant. Do you know I will never qualify for social welfare or pension???? Legal immigrants never qualify for many of the benefits of this country. That law came into effect in 1995.
"FACTS: To the contrary, undocumented immigrants are not eligible to receive any "welfare" benefits and even legal immigrants are severely restricted in the benefits they can receive."
The South African in this article are European not African hahahaaaaaa...... what do you mean by that? that the whites who been living in South Africa since the birth of South Africa Nation and those who were born there are Europeans who exploited South African wealth then migrated? Get Me right and thanks for the hub:)
marygrau, so you mean that the white South Africans that came to South Africa in 1652 should never have arrived, never have mined the gold, never have farmed the land or built cities? Puh-lease.
Have you noticed any successful cities in Africa? One of the really interesting countries is Sierra Leone. It was the first country to be granted independence in 1961. At the time, it's people were more educated than those of Britain. It's land had a better infrastructure. Within two years, it had a civil war. Within a decade, the people were starving. It's been half a century since the 'white man' you so scorn has left. If you honestly think these people are better off than without the tools of civilization that Europeans brought with them, you are sadly mistaken. I think it was Kenyatta who said that the white man was necessary for Africa.
And, yes, it is Europeans who leave. Why would they want to stay in a country where everything they worked for is been stolen and where their lives are constantly in danger.
This is NOT about racism. It is about European civilization. When I grew up in South Africa, some of the Africans were still living in the Stone Age. If you've ever been exposed to things like Malaria, been eaten by lions for breakfast, been swallowed live by pythons, etc., you might not have such a low opinion of civilization.
marygrau, so you mean that the white South Africans that came to South Africa in 1652 should never have arrived, never have mined the gold, never have farmed the land or built cities? Puh-lease.
Have you noticed any successful cities in Africa? One of the really interesting countries is Sierra Leone. It was the first country to be granted independence in 1961. At the time, it's people were more educated than those of Britain. It's land had a better infrastructure. Within two years, it had a civil war. Within a decade, the people were starving. It's been half a century since the 'white man' you so scorn has left. If you honestly think these people are better off than without the tools of civilization that Europeans brought with them, you are sadly mistaken. I think it was Kenyatta who said that the white man was necessary for Africa.
And, yes, it is Europeans who leave. Why would they want to stay in a country where everything they worked for is been stolen and where their lives are constantly in danger.
This is NOT about racism. It is about European civilization. When I grew up in South Africa, some of the Africans were still living in the Stone Age. If you've ever been exposed to things like Malaria, been eaten by lions for breakfast, been swallowed live by pythons, etc., you might not have such a low opinion of civilization.
I am a nobody, strange it may seem. I am South African, lived and worked in Ireland 9yrs, then the Recession came and was made redundant (with the rest of South Africans).
In the EU I am a "Non European" in South Africa I am a "European" try find work with just that identity, not even mentioning that I am white and over 50 now.
Bucks here. It's hard. And it's not going to get any easier.
mio cid Level 4 Commenter 16 months ago
great hub , it would be nice if you could take each one of your topics on this hub and write a whole hub on them so you could go more into depth as immigration is such an important topic but one in which the general american public is so ignorant of that it would be sort of a public service to try to educate them a little on the subject and you can do it much better than i could because although I'm a us citizen my optic on immigration is much more biased than yours.