Nearly 270,000 Israelis Leave Country Over Past Three Years Amid Rising Emigration Trend

A new study by researchers from Tel Aviv University reveals a concerning rise in emigration from Israel. According to the study, approximately 90,922 Israelis left the country in 2025 for periods of three consecutive months or more, slightly fewer than the 91,499 who left in 2024 but higher than the 86,509 in 2023. These figures represent record-high levels compared to previous years; for example, only 183,219 Israelis left during the equivalent three-year period a decade earlier (2013-2015).

The research team, including Professor Itai Ater, Professor Netai Bergman, and doctoral student Doron Zamir, analyzed data from the Central Bureau of Statistics. They noted that while data on departures lasting 12 months or more for 2025 is not yet available, the three-month departure metric already indicates a sustained emigration wave starting in 2023 and continuing through 2025. Professor Ater warned that although the current numbers do not yet threaten Israel’s resilience, if the trend continues, it could endanger the country’s security and economy.

The study highlights a significant increase in departures, with nearly 270,000 Israelis leaving between 2023 and 2025, about 90,000 annually, compared to roughly 60,000 per year during 2010-2019. The researchers also identified a troubling rise in emigration among highly skilled professionals, including doctors, PhD holders, engineers, academics, and high earners.

While emigration is a global phenomenon affecting countries like Greece, Hungary, Venezuela, Argentina, South Africa, and Lebanon, Israel’s situation is particularly sensitive due to its reliance on a highly skilled workforce concentrated in high-tech, advanced medical services, and academia. The loss of these critical workers could severely impact key industries and the broader economy.

The researchers emphasize that the current emigration levels do not yet pose an economic threat, but the danger lies in the imbalance and potential for further increases. Additional political, economic, or security shocks could trigger a feedback loop, accelerating emigration and making reversal difficult or impossible, with serious macroeconomic consequences.