Tel Aviv University study: 99,000 Israelis departed between 2023 and 2024
A national election scheduled for next week may influence whether the record exodus of skilled workers and families accelerates.
By Layla Fontaine ·
Israel faces a demographic challenge as record numbers of citizens leave the country, according to a new academic study. The research suggests that upcoming national elections could determine if this trend continues.
Itai Ater, a professor at the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University, co-authored a paper published in February. The team analyzed Central Bureau of Statistics data and found that 99,000 Israelis left the country between January 2023 and December 2024. The researchers defined departure as being away for at least three consecutive months and spending more than 270 days abroad during the first year. Approximately 50,000 people left in 2023, while 49,000 departed in 2024. Ater noted that preliminary figures indicate the pattern held steady in 2025.
The departure of highly educated residents has drawn particular attention from researchers. The study identified a sharp increase in the number of doctors, Ph.D. holders, and engineers leaving the country during the last two years. Net departures included 2,360 engineers and 509 doctors. Ater stated that Israel's economy relies heavily on this human capital, specifically in the tech industry, academia, and health care sectors.
Business leaders are also observing shifts in corporate strategy. Liam Schwartz, who heads the corporate immigration department at the Tel Aviv law firm Goldfarb, Gross, Seligman, said some companies face pressure from international investors. These stakeholders are concerned about the viability of operating from Israel and are often willing to move workforce segments to North America or Europe. Schwartz traced the start of this discontent to January 2023, when the government proposed judicial reforms that would have reduced the powers of the Supreme Court. He noted that many business leaders feel the government is no longer meeting its part of the social contract.
Personal accounts reflect the uncertainty felt by residents. Avigail Ben-Porat, a 50-year-old single mother living in Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanese border, said she dreams of leaving but lacks the financial means. She reports hearing rocket fire regularly and notes that many of her friends have relocated to Portugal, Canada, Thailand, and India. Ater said he sympathizes with those who ask if they want to raise children in such an environment.
The political context adds weight to the demographic shift. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the country's longest-serving leader, is seeking power again in next week's vote. Polls suggest his far-right bloc will fall short of the 61 Knesset seats required to govern. A rival bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar party is positioned to win the most seats but is also expected to lack a majority. Coalition negotiations typically begin after the vote, a process in which Netanyahu has historically been skilled.
Ater warned that emigration numbers could climb dramatically without political change. He described the situation as a strategic risk to Israel as a democracy and a liberal country. The stakes extend beyond national borders, affecting the Middle East and the wider world, according to the professor.
