- BIST10011,430-2.49%
- USD49.55+0.21%
- EUR55.57-0.09%
- GOLD4,163.30+0.08%
- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN81,755-0.11%
- October 20, 202614°
- BIST10011,430-2.49%
- USD49.55+0.21%
- EUR55.57-0.09%
- GOLD4,163.30+0.08%
- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN81,755-0.11%
- October 20, 202614°
Long-term departures from Israel accelerate as highly educated citizens leave
A Tel Aviv University study found that 268,509 Israeli citizens spent at least three months abroad during 2023-2025. Doctors, engineers, academics and technology workers accounted for a notable share of those who left.
Long-term departures from Israel accelerated amid the security crisis, political developments and social polarization that followed the start of the war in Gaza. A Tel Aviv University study found that 268,509 Israeli citizens spent at least three months abroad during 2023-2025.
The study, based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, said the figure was 183,219 during the comparable three-year period a decade earlier. The number of Israeli citizens staying abroad was recorded as 86,509 in 2023, 91,499 in 2024 and 90,922 in 2025.
Migration balance falls by about 140,000 over three years
Because Israel’s official 12-month migration data for 2025 will not be published until 2027, the researchers used stays abroad lasting at least three months as an early indicator. The study estimated that the number of Israelis who stayed abroad for at least a year in 2025 could range from 45,000 to 50,000.
Statistics presented to a Knesset committee in June also showed that Israel’s migration balance was negative during 2022-2024. According to Central Bureau of Statistics data, the migration balance fell by about 140,000 people over those three years.
Highly educated workers account for a notable share of those leaving
The educational profile of those who went abroad remained higher than that of the general population. In 2022, among Israeli migrants aged 25-64, the share of bachelor’s degree holders was 1.5 times that of the general population, the share of master’s degree holders was twice as high, and the share of doctorate holders was 4.6 times as high.
In 2024, 530 doctors left Israel. Two-thirds of these doctors had received their education in Israel, while the number of doctors returning to the country declined.
A study by the Israel Tax Authority also recorded a marked increase in migration among wealthy Israelis in 2023 and 2024. Doctors, engineers and other highly educated professionals accounted for a disproportionately large share of this group.
The average annual income of migrants before they left the country rose in real terms from approximately 125,000 shekels during 2015-2019 to about 200,000 shekels in 2024.
Risk of brain drain in health and technology sectors
Independent Israeli political commentator and former university professor Ori Goldberg said the trend of departures pointed to a loss of stability in Israel. Goldberg said those leaving were seeking functioning public services, assurance that public institutions would operate adequately and stability; a significant proportion of them held relatively liberal views.
Goldberg said the departure of professionals from Israel posed a real risk to the health, research and technology sectors. He said the rate at which doctors returned after going abroad for specialist training had declined, while technology workers had greater flexibility to relocate to other countries.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University said current migration levels did not by themselves threaten the resilience of Israel’s economy, but could have long-term consequences if the increase became permanent. They warned that continued migration could pose a risk to an economy reliant on a limited number of skilled workers in fields such as technology, health and academia, and that departures could encourage further departures.
Public concern intensifies after October 2023
Goldberg said the acceleration in migration could not be assessed independently of developments after October 2023. He said the war Israel launched in Gaza following the Hamas attack, along with the security crisis, political developments and social polarization, had affected Israeli society.
Tel Aviv University researchers said public concern about migration abroad increased after the November 2022 election and the government’s judicial overhaul debates, and intensified further from October 2023. Goldberg argued that the strengthening of a security-focused approach and deepening political divisions could push the trend beyond a temporary wave.
Long stays abroad can alter people’s ties to Israel
Research by migration and demography specialist Lilach Lev Ari on Israelis living in the United States found that those who stayed abroad for extended periods could experience changes in their relationship with Israel. The study found that family ties, digital communication and visits preserved structural links with Israel, while emotional distance could increase among those living abroad for long periods.
Goldberg assessed that the current departures could be part of a longer-term demographic and economic transformation rather than a short-term response to a single crisis.
Stay Updated with Hilal Times
Subscribe to be informed about special news, developments and announcements. We will keep you informed.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy
