Permanent Residence

Data published by the UK’s office for national statistics in 2021, shows that a significant number of Nigerians and South Africans have made a move to the UK permanently.

The data – which is based on the country’s annual population survey – shows the number of overseas-born people (by country) who live permanently in the UK as of the end of June 2020.

The survey shows that the country with the largest overseas population is India, with an estimated 847,000 Indian people currently living in the UK.

This is followed by Poland (746,000 people) and Pakistan (519,000 people) who ranked in second and third place respectively.

South Africa is ranked in ninth position, with an estimated 229,000 people currently living in the country, while Nigeria completes the top10 with 219,000 people. According to the list, the two countries represent the largest population of Africans in the UK.

African Visitors to the UK

UK immigration and travel has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, with far fewer people making it there compared to previous years, data from Sable International shows.

The data recorded for entry clearance visas granted outside the UK shows a sharp drop in applications made overseas.

At the end of December 2020, a total of 996,636 entry clearance visas were granted, compared to 3,171,721 in 2019. This represents a decrease of 69%.

“Since 2012, there have generally been year-on-year increases in the number of visitors to the UK,” Sable international said.

“However, in 2020 the number decreased by 79% (1.9 million), with only 506,644 visitor visas granted compared to the previous year’s over 2.4 million.”

34,171 of the visitor visas were granted to Nigerians (sic, position unclear), while South Africans received 17,288 – the 10th most of any country.

I thought South Africa was a thriving country...

How come the citizens are japaing?
What’s their excuse?

mariahAngel:
I thought South Africa was a thriving country...

How come the citizens are japaing?
What’s their excuse?

My thought exactly

Work Visas

While the number of visitor visas has declined, data from the UK’s Home Office shows that the country remains a popular destination for people who are moving for work, to study or to join family members.

A total of 125,173 work visas were approved by December 2020. This was made up of:

77,760 skilled worker visas – down 35% (67,386) from the previous year;

26,500 temporary worker visas – down 39% (16,967);

1,669 high-value visas – down 70% (3,935).

Of these business visas, a total of 5,439 applications were granted to Nigerians in 2020 - and 4,012 to South Africans. The countries ranked seventh and eighth, respectively.

Family Visas

There were 40,255 family visas granted, a decrease of 28% (15,388).

These included:

8,230 dependants joining or accompanying a family member – down 12% (1,151);

19,234 EEA family permits – down 58% (26,458).

A total of 1,497 applications were granted to South Africans and 1,465 to Nigerians - representing fifth and seventh spots, respectively.

mariahAngel:
I thought South Africa was a thriving country...

How come the citizens are japaing?
What’s their excuse?

Greener pastures (work), dual nationality, a long trend of the white exodus since democracy fearing black rule, Zuma corruption, crime.

Nigerians just went to the UK and colonised their music scene. Nigeria to the world!

I thought you said south Africans don't emigrate? tmksouth ?

mariahAngel:
I thought South Africa was a thriving country...

How come the citizens are japaing?
What’s their excuse?

me sef shock

theTranscriber:
I thought you said south Africans don't emigrate?
tmksouth ?

We emigrate for completely legit reasons and not to hustle and become a nuisance. And crossing the Mediterranean via Libya or riding crocodiles over the Limpopo river into SA is not exactly emigration, it's refugeeing.

And in case u didn't know, the UK is a major poacher of SA skills - and in return we poach African skills. Levels u see Who's Nigeria poaching from?

TMKsouth:


We emigrate for completely legit reasons and not to hustle and become a nuisance. And crossing the Mediterranean via Libya or riding crocodiles over the Limpopo river into SA is not exactly emigration, it's refugeeing.

And in case u didn't know, the UK is a major poacher of SA skills - and in return we poach African skills. Levels u see Who's Nigeria poaching from?

that's trash
we don't "refugeer" or whatever you say
we add to any society we go to

you poach African skills?
Wetin you smoke?

theTranscriber:
that's trash
we don't "refugeer" or whatever you say
we add to any society we go to

you poach African skills?
Wetin you smoke?

Nigerian skills for one. Academics all over Africa wanna work in SA universities which are the best in the continent and pay salaries on time , doctors, teachers, engineers, the Ngozi Iwela Okonjos of this world, etc.

We even poach as far away as India.

TMKsouth:


Nigerian skills for one. Academics all over Africa wanna work in SA universities which are the best in the continent and pay salaries on time, doctors, teachers, engineers, the Ngozi Iwela Okonjos of this world, etc.

We even poach as far away as India.

trash

theTranscriber:
trash

Substantiate.

Aren't u guys always boasting about how SA would fall apart without you ? And now I'm agreeing we poach your professionals and you're disagreeing - changing your tune.

I guess your aim is just to win the arguement even if the truth becomes the casualty.

TMKsouth:


Substantiate.

Aren't u guys also boasting about how SA would fall apart without you ? And now I'm agreeing we poach your professionals and you're disagreeing - changing your tune.

I guess your aim is just to win the arguement even if the truth becomes the casualty.

I don't care
they making the money and sending back

Nigerian remittance is one of the highest in the world
the money matters
there are a lot of MSc graduates with no jobs

theTranscriber:
I don't care
they making the money and sending back

Nigerian remittance is one of the highest in the world
the money matters
there are a lot of MSc graduates with no jobs

Yeah I get that part, it's similar in SA. There are also a lot of unemployed graduates in SA as well. The government argues they studied stuff the economy doesn't need. But recently they flew in Cuban doctors to come fight Covid in the rural areas even though we have hundreds of unemployed doctors. So, when South Africans cry that foreigners are taking their jobs there's some truth to that (it's not simply xenophobia), and the government has a hand in it coz this replicates itself throughout the entire system.

TMKsouth:


Yeah I get that part, it's similar in SA. There are also a lot of unemployed graduates in SA as well. The government argues they studied stuff the economy doesn't need. But recently they flew in Cuban doctors to come fight Covid in the rural areas even though we have hundreds of unemployed doctors. So, when South Africans cry that foreigners are taking their jobs there's some truth to that (it's not simply xenophobia), and the government has a hand in it coz this replicates itself throughout the entire system.

yeah true
but Cuban doctors are expected to be very competent
Cuba has the best medical sector in the world
and off course
the Ciggar

theTranscriber:

yeah true
but Cuban doctors are expected to be very competent
Cuba has the best medical sector in the world
and off course
the Ciggar

Yeah we know they're good - but so are SA doctors - we invented the heart transplant for goodness sake and the western world is forever poaching us.

This Cuban deal is more political than anything else. SA is trying to pump dollars into the Cuban economy coz the country is under US sanctions. U know Fidel Castro was outspoken against apartheid.

mariahAngel:
I thought South Africa was a thriving country...

How come the citizens are japaing?
What’s their excuse?

its the white South Africans, crime is high, the economy is being mismanaged etc

Lagbaja88:
its the white South Africans, crime is high, the economy is being mismanaged etc

Don't forget to mention it's mostly the racists leaving. They've always left - even during the peaceful Mandela years of reconciliation and the Mbeki years when the economy was booming but they were complaining about affirmative action. I mentioned the white exodus earlier on in the thread.

Even if the economy is being mismanaged today the black government inherited a bankrupt state from the whites because their stupid policy of apartheid was unsustainable and they couldn't forsee it - so they're also terrible at managing the economy.

Lastly, there are many black South Africans in the UK. As I mentioned earlier the UK poaches a lot of SA skills resulting in a brain drain.

I often observe with dismay how some SA nationalists arrogantly paint their country so rosy especially on African cyber space as though it's some worldpower while simultaneously looking down at other Africans from less well-off states often in an ignorant and unabashed manner,this behaviour is not only disgusting but sickneing. For a start, a country with 34.4% unemployment rate(highest in the world),deep rooted income inequality, poverty and widespread crime needs deep reflection and introspection. The large-scale riots that rocked parts of SA particularly phoenix in KWZ shows the extent of rot in that country which is alarming. Just before you attack me i'm fully aware of the tragic and terrible state of affairs In my country and i hope things get better for both Nigeria and SA. However,instead of opening irrelevant threads, i suggest you channel your time and expatise on solving the multifaceted crises bedeviling your country,that would be much more profitable and prodtuctive of you and your like-minds.

TMKsouth:


We emigrate for completely legit reasons and not to hustle and become a nuisance. And crossing the Mediterranean via Libya or riding crocodiles over the Limpopo river into SA is not exactly emigration, it's refugeeing.

And in case u didn't know, the UK is a major poacher of SA skills - and in return we poach African skills. Levels u see Who's Nigeria poaching from?

We poach skilled artisans from Cotonou (Benin Republic), Niger, Mali, the Cameroons and other west African countries.

UK poaches more skills from Nigeria than SA

TMKsouth:


Don't forget to mention it's mostly the racists leaving. They've always left - even during the peaceful Mandela years of reconciliation and the Mbeki years when the economy was booming but they were complaining about affirmative action. I mentioned the white exodus earlier on in the thread.

Even if the economy is being mismanaged today the black government inherited a bankrupt state from the whites because their stupid policy of apartheid was unsustainable and they couldn't forsee it - so they're also terrible at managing the economy.

Lastly, there are many black South Africans in the UK. As I mentioned earlier the UK poaches a lot of SA skills resulting in a brain drain.

At what point did things begin to go wrong in the economy?
It didn’t take long after Mandela’s era apparently...

siofra:


We poach skilled artisans from Cotonou (Benin Republic), Niger, Mali, the Cameroons and other west African countries.

UK poaches more skills from Nigeria than SA

Nice reply dear.