Although many wealthy South Africans are packing their bags for the UK, new migration data shows that the inverse is also true.
The latest Wealth Migration Report 2023 from Henley & Partners and New World Wealth shows that around 400 High Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs) those with a net worth of over US$1 million (roughly R18 million) emigrated out of South Africa in 2022 with a further 500 leaving the country in 2023.
The UK is an emigration hotspot for South Africans with the 2021 UK census noting that over 215,000 South Africans live on the island.
However, according to New World Wealth, the United Kingdom is also increasingly seeing an outflux of millionaires to other destinations including South Africa.
“The United Kingdom, and London especially, has traditionally been seen as one of the world’s top destinations for migrating millionaires and for many years (from the early 1900s to 2010), it consistently attracted large numbers of wealthy people from Europe, CIS, Asia, Africa and the Middle East,” New World Wealth said.
“However, this trend began to reverse around a decade ago as more millionaires left the country and (fewer) came in.”
“Notably, during the five-year period from 2017 to 2022, the UK has lost approximately 12,500 more HNWIs than it has gained through migration, and it is expected to lose another 3,200 HNWIs to migration in 2023.”
Reasons for the outflux include poor performance of the London Stock Exchange (LSE) dropping from the largest stock market before World War 1 to 11th globally and Brexit, with many in the financial services moving to other nations in Europe.
The UK health system is also deteriorating, whilst there are increasing safety concerns

in major cities.
Capital gains tax and estate duty rates in the UK are also the largest in the world, deterring wealthy retirees from living there.
In addition, the growing power of the USA and Asia in the hi-tech space has led to several wealthy UK tech companies moving their base locations.
Considering these issues, many HNWIs have left the UK for other destinations over the past decade and Cape Town, South Africa, is listed among the top receivers of UK wealth.
New World Wealth said that other top destinations for migrating HNWIs include:
• Paris, France
• Monaco
• Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Dubai, the UAE
• Sydney, Australia
• Singapore
• New York City, USA
• Frankfurt, Germany
• Silicon Valley, USA
• Toronto, Canada
• Marbella, Spain
• Geneva, Switzerland
• Miami, USA
• Palm Beach, USA
• Tel Aviv, Israel
• The Algarve in Portugal and
• The French Riviera
Cape Town is a popular destination in South Africa for wealthy expats, most notably for its good governance, natural beauty and relatively affordable luxury property market when compared to other international cities.
Ross Levin from Seeff recently noted that there has been an influx of international buyers into Cape Town due to the reasonably flat price at the top end of the property market and the weaker rand.
It’s not only HNWIs that are buying property in Cape Town, with the below R10 million range far more affordable for UK buyers compared to their home country. V.5095

One of the highlighted topics: Critical Skills Visa.

- Key Insight: Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast track to working in South Afr...
- This matter relates to critical skills visa and its broader implications.
- Individuals are advised to seek professional guidance.

Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast trac V.6139
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One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, became a victim of identity theft in 2012 when fraudulent transactions occurred, using her personal details.

-The Pretoria High Court found that the department of home affairs had violated constitutional rights without due process.
-Only half of Lawyers for Human Rights` test group has been unblocked, while 385 000 identities remain blocked nationwide.
-LHR appeals extension, urges affected people to seek help now.

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) are intensifying pressure on the department of home affairs over the national ID-blocking crisis, accusing the state of acting too slowly to unblock qualifying individuals despite a landmark court ruling.

In January last year, the Pretoria High Court found that the department`s practice of blocking IDs without due process was unlawful and unconstitutional. One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, a Swati citizen and South African permanent resident since 1998, fell victim to identity theft in 2012 when fraudsters used her personal details.

 V.6133
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6128
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6129
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A Washington state mother and her 6-year-old son have been released after spending more than three weeks in US immigration detention due to a brief trip to Canada and a small paperwork mistake, her attorney told CNN on Saturday.

Sarah Shaw, a New Zealand citizen who has lived legally in the US since she arrived in 2021, was detained at the Blaine, Washington, Customs and Border Protection checkpoint when returning home after dropping her two oldest children off at the Vancouver airport for a flight to visit their grandparents in New Zealand. Shaw, 33, chose the flight out of Vancouver because it was direct and she didn`t want her children to have to navigate a layover alone, her attorney Minda Thorward, told CNN.

 V.6130
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On 22 July 2025, the Gauteng High Court dismissed Sitrusrand Boerdery`s review of the Department of Employment and Labour`s refusal to issue a Working Conditions and Salary Benchmarking Certificate, an essential precondition for obtaining corporate visas under the Immigration Act.

Acting Judge Kekana AJ held that the Department`s decision was lawful, rational and procedurally fair. This judgment illustrates how businesses can - and must - structure their corporate visa applications to meet statutory requirements, and how legal practitioners should prepare robust review challenges when administrative authorities decline to recommend foreign-work permits.

 V.6131
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The United States could forfeit an estimated 9.4 billion dollars in visitor spending over the next three years following the introduction of a new 250 dollars `visa integrity fee,` according to industry groups, who warn the policy risks undermining tourism and costing thousands of jobs.
The United States’ decision to introduce a 250 dollars `visa integrity fee` on international visitors has triggered sharp criticism from the global tourism industry, with officials warning that the measure could deter millions of travellers and cost the U.S. economy billions.
The 250dollar `visa integrity fee,` part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed on July 4, 2025, will take effect later this year. According to immigration law firm Envoy Global, it applies to all nonimmigrant visa holders which include students, tourists, temporary workers, and business visitors particularly from African countries. V.6132
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6127
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1. Right to Legal Representation•You have the right to consult with a legal representative.•Contact an immigration practitioner, legal aid clinic, or attorney urgently.•Do not sign any documents without understanding them fully. 2. Section 34 of the Immigration Act•You must be brought to court with 48 hours to confirm arrest but you can remain locked up very long as courts figure out what to do with you •If you`re found to be illegally in South Africa, you may be detained for up to 30 days (extendable by a magistrate) pending deportation.•BUT this cannot happen arbitrarily. You must be informed of your rights, and Home Affairs must follow due process.- becomes a nightmare , you could lose your job , business , place to stay V.6121
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Driving for Bolt, Uber, Mr D, or Checkers Sixty60?If you`re undocumented, you`re risking more than just your income.The Risks if You`re Not Legal: - Vehicle impoundment - Heavy fines - Arrest & deportation - Permanent bans from working in SA V.6122
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