Harvard Study: Return Rate to Israel for Tech Workers, Ex-8200 Personnel Halved
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
A Harvard and Tel Aviv University study of 1.16 million Israeli LinkedIn profiles shows the rate of Israelis returning from abroad has been cut by 50% since 2022, particularly affecting tech workers and ex-Unit 8200 personnel. In 2024, there were 5,100 more departures than returns, a 20% increase. Researchers attribute the accelerated brain drain to events since 2023, including the judicial overhaul and the war.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli return rate from abroad halved between 2022 and 2024, impacting tech and ex-8200 personnel.
- Harvard and Tel Aviv University analyzed 1.16 million Israeli LinkedIn profiles for the study.
- In 2024, 5,100 more Israelis left the country than returned, a 20% increase.
- Return rates for PhD holders abroad dropped from 3.2% to 1.3%.
- The brain drain acceleration is linked to events since 2023, including the judicial overhaul and war.
A joint study by Harvard University and Tel Aviv University researchers indicates a significant decline in the rate of Israelis returning to the country from abroad, particularly among highly educated professionals and those with advanced degrees. The analysis, which examined 1.16 million Israeli LinkedIn profiles from 2015 to 2024, revealed that the proportion of Israelis returning to work or study in Israel dropped from approximately 5 out of 100 in 2022 to about 2.5 out of 100 in 2024. This trend signifies a dramatic acceleration in brain drain since 2023, especially impacting skilled and senior professionals.
The study found that among Israelis who completed doctorates abroad, the return rate fell from 3.2% to 1.3%, the lowest among all groups analyzed. For senior tech executives, the return rate decreased from 3.9% to 1.6%. Similarly, for tech workers and STEM graduates, the rate dropped from around 3.5% to 1.7%. Even among graduates of Unit 8200, an elite intelligence corps, the return rate fell from 8.8% to 4.1%, though they still had a higher return rate than other examined groups. Across these key demographics, the return rate was cut by about 50% between 2022 and 2024.
Concurrently, the net outflow of Israelis from the country has increased. In 2024, there were 5,100 more departures than returns, a 20% increase and an 800-person rise compared to 2022 figures, primarily attributed to the declining return rate. The gap between departures and returns saw a 69% increase among STEM graduates and a 27% increase among tech workers. Notably, there was a sharp 20% rise in departures among the highest-earning tech employees, from 269 in 2021 to 328 in 2024.
Researchers, including Professor Itai Atter, suggest that the decline in returns began before 2023 but accelerated significantly in 2023, coinciding with the government's judicial overhaul, and continued into 2024, the year of the ongoing war. The study highlights the potential economic impact, as returning professionals who have gained skills and connections abroad are crucial for the local economy. The findings are set to be published soon as a working paper.
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