Book My Visa Slot
  1. US Visa Statistics
  2. South Africa
  3. H-1B

Official US State Department data

H-1B visa statistics for South Africa

How many H-1B visas nationals of South Africa are issued, and what each US consulate in South Africa issues, month by month.

Data through February 2026

H-1B visas issued to nationals of South Africa

Every H-1B visa issued to a national of South Africa, at any US consulate in the world.

Visas issued to nationals of South Africa, last 12 months

Mar 2025 – Feb 2026

188188

Down 13%vs 215 in the 12 months before

Down 13% on the previous 12 months.

Monthly average
16
Busiest month
26
Dec 2025
Latest month
14
Feb 2026Up 75%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 215

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 188

010203040
Mar '24Apr '24May '24Jun '24Jul '24Aug '24Sep '24Oct '24Nov '24Dec '24Jan '25Feb '25Mar '25Apr '25May '25Jun '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26

The long view

State Dept publishes its annual totals by US government fiscal year, which runs October to September.

Point at a year for its exact count.

0100200300400500
378
Pre-COVID peak397
312
248
268
194
187
161
163
89
47
227
236
208
204
91
'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26

Striped: the current year so far.

FY2011: 378 visas; FY2012: 397 visas; FY2013: 312 visas; FY2014: 248 visas; FY2015: 268 visas; FY2016: 194 visas; FY2017: 187 visas; FY2018: 161 visas; FY2019: 163 visas; FY2020: 89 visas; FY2021: 47 visas; FY2022: 227 visas; FY2023: 236 visas; FY2024: 208 visas; FY2025: 204 visas; FY2026: 91 visas so far.

FY2025 had 204 visas (−1.9% on FY2024). That's 49% below the pre-pandemic peak (FY2012). FY2026 so far (Oct–Feb) is running 15% behind the same months of FY2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, to nationals of South Africa
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 2026148Up 75%
January 20261423Down 39%
December 20252638Down 32%
November 20251413Up 7.7%
October 20252325Down 8%
September 20252224Down 8.3%
August 20251521Down 29%
July 20251519Down 21%
June 20251714Up 21%
May 2025812Down 33%
April 2025810Down 20%
March 2025128Up 50%
February 20258–
January 202523–
December 202438–
November 202413–
October 202425–
September 202424–
August 202421–
July 202419–
June 202414–
May 202412–
April 202410–
March 20248–

Source: US Department of State monthly reports of nonimmigrant visas issued by nationality, and its annual Report of the Visa Office for earlier years. Nationals of South Africa who interview at a US consulate in another country are counted here, so these totals run higher than the consulate figures for South Africa.

H-1B visas issued in South Africa

How many H-1B visas the US consulates in South Africa issue each month, whether that's rising or falling, and where it's moving.

Visas issued in South Africa, last 12 months

Mar 2025 – Feb 2026

236236

Down 29%vs 333 in the 12 months before

Down 29% on the previous 12 months. The last 3 months ran 39% below the same months a year earlier.

Monthly average
20
Busiest month
36
Dec 2025
Latest month
19
Feb 2026Up 19%

Prev 12 moPrevious 12 months · 333

Last 12 moLast 12 months · 236

020406080
Mar '24Apr '24May '24Jun '24Jul '24Aug '24Sep '24Oct '24Nov '24Dec '24Jan '25Feb '25Mar '25Apr '25May '25Jun '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26

Where visas are issued

Each consulate's last 12 months, against the 12 months before.

Last 12 monthsThe 12 months before
  • Johannesburg59% of total
    140Down 32%
    140 visas in the last 12 months, 206 in the 12 months before
  • Cape Town29% of total
    68Down 35%
    68 visas in the last 12 months, 104 in the 12 months before
  • Durban12% of total
    28Up 22%
    28 visas in the last 12 months, 23 in the 12 months before

Johannesburg issues the most: 59% of the total. Durban grew the most (+22%); Cape Town issued 35% fewer.

When visas are issued

Visas issued in South Africa each month. Darker means more.

JJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNovDDec
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Typical
4.4%
15%

Typical: each month's share of a year's visas, averaged over 2023–2025.

Busiest: December 2024: 59 visas

FewerMoreNo data

In 2023–2025, December was typically the busiest month and April the quietest.

Year by year

Calendar years, January to December.

  1. 2023

    336

    Jan – Dec 2023

    First full year in this data
  2. 2024

    335

    Jan – Dec 2024

    About flat, 0.3%vs 2023
  3. 2025

    258

    Jan – Dec 2025

    Down 23%vs 2024
  4. 2026So far

    34

    Jan–Feb · 2 of 12 months

    Down 39%vs same months a year earlier

2025 had 258 visas (−23% on 2024). 2026 so far (Jan–Feb) is running 39% behind the same months of 2025.

Show the monthly numbers
Visas issued per month, in South Africa
MonthVisas issuedA year earlierChange
February 20261916Up 19%
January 20261540Down 63%
December 20253659Down 39%
November 20252017Up 18%
October 20253138Down 18%
September 20252929About flat, 0%
August 20251228Down 57%
July 20251728Down 39%
June 20251927Down 30%
May 20251318Down 28%
April 20251017Down 41%
March 20251516Down 6.3%
February 20251621Down 24%
January 20254037Up 8.1%
December 20245950Up 18%
November 20241729Down 41%
October 20243828Up 36%
September 20242916Up 81%
August 20242837Down 24%
July 20242818Up 56%
June 20242728Down 3.6%
May 20241817Up 5.9%
April 20241714Up 21%
March 20241622Down 27%

Source: US Department of State monthly reports of nonimmigrant visas issued at each US consulate. These count visas issued, not interview appointments available.

H-1B approval rate: 97.2%Worldwide, FY2024. How it has moved since FY2019.All visa types for South AfricaEvery US visa issued to nationals of South Africa, by visa type, and each consulate's total.Worldwide statisticsWhich countries and visa types get the most US visas.