Israeli Exodus: 99,000 Departures Recorded Since 2023
A Tel Aviv University analysis confirms a historic rise in emigration, with experts warning that next week's national vote could accelerate the trend further.
By Elijah Fitzgerald ·
Ninety-nine thousand Israelis have left the country between January 2023 and December 2024, the highest number recorded in that timeframe. The data, published in February by Itai Ater and colleagues at the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University, relies on Central Bureau of Statistics records. Researchers defined emigrants as individuals absent for at least three consecutive months who spent more than 270 days abroad in the first year of their departure. Approximately 50,000 citizens left in 2023, followed by 49,000 in 2024. Ater notes that preliminary figures indicate this pattern persisted through 2025.
The departure trend coincides with a period of intense instability. Since 2023, the nation of roughly 10 million people has faced war, economic uncertainty, and a prime ministerial corruption trial that began in 2020 without a final verdict. Ater stated that many citizens are questioning whether they wish to raise children in such an environment. He expressed sympathy for those who answer no.
The political context remains tense with a national election scheduled for next week. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seeking to retain power after three decades in leadership, faces a fragmented landscape. Polls indicate his far-right bloc will likely fail to secure the 61 Knesset seats required for a governing majority. A rival coalition led by Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar party is positioned to win the most seats but is also expected to fall short of a majority. This leaves the formation of a governing coalition uncertain, a process in which Netanyahu has historically excelled.
Ater warned that the current trajectory may worsen if the political situation does not shift. He predicted that emigration numbers would climb dramatically. Avigail Ben-Porat, a 50-year-old single mother in Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanese border, described her desire to leave despite a lack of financial means. She reported regularly hearing rocket fire and noted that many friends have relocated to Portugal, Canada, Thailand, and India.
The study identifies a distinct demographic shift in who is leaving. There was a sharp increase in departures by doctors, Ph.D. holders, and engineers in 2023 and 2024. The data shows net departures of 2,360 engineers and 509 doctors. Ater emphasized that Israel's economy relies heavily on this human capital, specifically in the tech industry, academia, and health care sectors.
Corporate entities are also reassessing their presence. Liam Schwartz, head of the corporate immigration department at the Tel Aviv law firm Goldfarb, Gross, Seligman, said firms face pressure from non-Israeli shareholders and investors concerned about operational viability. These companies are increasingly willing to shift portions of their workforce to North America or Europe. Schwartz traced the growing discontent to January 2023, when the government proposed judicial reforms that would have reduced the Supreme Court's powers. He stated that many feel the Israeli government is no longer meeting its part of the social contract.
Schwartz described the upcoming October vote as a potential watershed for whether emigration rates rise. Ater characterized the situation as a strategic risk to Israel as a democracy and a liberal country, noting it is a concern for the Middle East and the wider world.
