(The Zimbabwean, ):-

Analysis of immigration statistics shows a huge brain drain from South Africa in the UK’s favour. A survey by London-based South African journalist Ingrid Uys shows that 187,330 South Africans are economically active or potentially active residents in the UK. Of that total, 89,865 are males and 97,465 females. The highest concentration of South Africans working and living in the UK is to be found in the South West, South East, London and East Anglia. Both South African male and female workers are employed mostly in the administrative and secretarial professions category and in associate professional and technical occupations. Male South Africans are among the highest SA earners in the UK at roughly £814 a week, compared with their female professional counterparts at £566 a week. The most interesting part of the survey is that of a total of 73,798 South Africans granted work permits in the UK since 1995, the majority fall into professional categories. The contribution therefore by South Africans to the quality of the British economy is substantial. In the past 10 years about 1,000 SA accountants have been given a permit to work in the UK. More than 2,000 South Africans work in the Information Technology field, 4,000 in managerial positions, and more than 2,000 engineers have applied for work permits in the past six years. A further 2,000 SA are working in the financial sector. Given the differences in the legal system, the number of attorneys coming to the UK to work is not as high as in other professions, yet the Home Office records that 440 SA attorneys have applied for and been granted work permits since 1995. The SA media reports repeatedly on SA’s increasing concern over the loss of medical personnel to overseas employers. SA’s opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, has raised the issue in parliament with the governing ANC party. In the past four years, more than 2, 000 doctors have left SA to work in the UK alone. The total number of medical emigrants is higher, since many doctors settle in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In the past six years, about 800 dental surgeons were given work permits in the UK, as well as 700 dental practitioners. A further 5,000 South Africans were granted permits to work in health/medical related occupations; 518 SA radiographers are now working in the UK; and more than 500 physiotherapists and more than 500 pharmacists. More startling though, is the number of SA nurses and teachers who are being actively recruited in Britain, in spite of an understanding to the contrary. In the past four years, permission was granted to 14,000 SA nurses and more than 7,000 SA teachers to work in British government institutions. A further 817 staff nurses are working in the UK and just under 1,000 social workers.  

South African Migration Project (SAMP) - Queen's University - http://www.queensu.ca/samp