Study: 50% Drop in Israelis Returning Home from High-Tech and Intelligence Sectors
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
A study by Harvard and Tel Aviv University researchers found a 50% decrease in the return rate of Israelis from high-tech, executive, PhD, and Unit 8200 intelligence backgrounds between 2022 and 2024. The analysis of 1.16 million LinkedIn profiles showed a widening gap between departures and returns, with 5,100 more people leaving than returning in 2024. Researchers attribute the trend, which accelerated during the judicial overhaul and war, to a preference for staying abroad and utilizing acquired skills.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israeli return rate from high-tech and intelligence sectors dropped by 50% between 2022 and 2024.
- The study analyzed 1.16 million Israelis' LinkedIn data from 2015 to 2024.
- PhD holders educated abroad showed the lowest return rate, falling to 1.3%.
- Unit 8200 graduates still had the highest return rate, though it declined to 4.1%.
- The gap between departures and returns widened by 20% in 2024.
- The trend accelerated due to the judicial overhaul and the 2024 war.
A new analysis reveals a significant decline, approximately 50%, in the return rate of Israelis working in high-tech, senior executives, PhD holders educated abroad, and graduates of the elite Unit 8200 intelligence corps between 2022 and 2024. The study, a summary of which was reported by Israel's Channel 12 on Sunday, was conducted by researchers from Harvard Business School and Tel Aviv University and is expected to be published in full soon. Researchers, including Dr. Itay Atar, analyzed LinkedIn employment and education data for 1.16 million Israelis from 2015 to 2024. They tracked Israelis who exclusively worked or studied abroad in a given year and counted those who began work or study in Israel the following year.
In 2022, about 5 out of every 100 Israelis returned, a figure that dropped to roughly 2.5 out of 100 by 2024. Among Israelis who completed PhDs abroad, the return rate fell from 3.2% to 1.3%, the lowest among all categories studied. For high-tech executives and senior managers, the return rate decreased from 3.9% to 1.6%. Similarly, for high-tech workers and STEM graduates, the return rate dropped from about 3.5% to about 1.7%. Even among Unit 8200 graduates, who still represent the highest return rate, it declined from 8.8% to 4.1%.
The study also examined the growing gap between those leaving Israel and those returning. In 2024, there were 5,100 more departures than returns, a 20% increase from 2022. This widening gap is attributed primarily to the decrease in returnees. The gap expanded by 69% for STEM graduates and 27% for high-tech workers, increasing from 631 to 801 individuals. A notable rise in departures was observed among the top 20% highest-earning high-tech employees, increasing from 269 in 2021 to 328 in 2024.
Researchers noted that while the movement of individuals between Israel and abroad can benefit the economy, the current decline in returnees, coupled with more people choosing to stay abroad and leverage their acquired skills and connections, is concerning. The trend of declining returns began before 2023 but accelerated with the judicial overhaul and continued through the 2024 war.
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