Less than a quarter of all South Africans living abroad say they would return home, citing instability, safety and better work opportunities as the major reasons behind their decision to emigrate.

This is according to a recent survey conducted by the TEFL Academy, revealing a new generation of highly-educated citizens are fleeing South Africa in search of better wages and working conditions.

One quarter (25%) of respondents would ‘definitely not’ return; 43% claim to be undecided, while just 19% were adamant about their prospects of returning to their home country.

A follow-up survey on 948 South Africans who currently live, or have lived, abroad revealed that nearly 40% went overseas in search of better opportunities.

One individual claimed, “Even if there are job opportunities, the money they offer is absolutely laughable. Not to mention how time-consuming it is. My degree taught me a lot and it helped me be a better teacher, but it didn’t help me find work in my own country.”

Interestingly, only 7.8% of those surveyed cited the high cost of living as their reason for moving abroad.

While this suggests South Africans may not be grappling with the cost of living as much as some politicians may have feared, they are aware that more lucrative and stable pastures may be offered elsewhere.