Israel's Brain Drain: 99,000 Departures Ahead of Vote
New data shows record emigration since 2023, with economists warning that next week's election could accelerate the loss of skilled workers.
By Fatima Laurent ·
Israel faces a demographic shift that could alter its economic foundation before the next government takes office. A recent academic analysis reveals that more citizens have left the country in the last three years than in any comparable period on record. The timing of this trend coincides with a national election scheduled for next week, a event that researchers believe may influence future migration patterns.
A study published in February by Itai Ater, a professor at the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University, and his colleagues examined data from the Central Bureau of Statistics. The research focused on individuals who remained outside the country for at least three consecutive months and spent over 270 days abroad during their first year away. The findings indicate that 99,000 Israelis departed between January 2023 and December 2024. Of that total, approximately 50,000 left in 2023 and 49,000 in 2024. Ater noted that preliminary data suggests this pattern persisted through 2025.
The period covered by the study included major political and military events. In 2023, Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing roughly 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. Israel responded with a military campaign in the Gaza Strip. Although a ceasefire took effect in October 2025, Israel continues to control about 60 percent of the enclave and conducts regular military operations there. These conditions have contributed to what Ater describes as turbulent years for the nation of about 10 million residents.
Political uncertainty adds pressure to the decision to stay or go. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has led the country for three decades, is seeking power again. Current polls indicate his far-right bloc will likely fail to secure the 61 Knesset seats required for a majority. A rival group 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. Because coalition building is typically necessary after such a vote, the political maneuvering that follows the election remains a key factor for citizens weighing their futures.
Ater warned that if the current political trajectory continues, emigration numbers could increase sharply. He stated that these figures will go up dramatically without a change in direction. The trend is visible in daily life for residents in border regions. 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 resources to do so. She reports hearing rocket fire regularly and notes that many friends have relocated to Portugal, Canada, Thailand, or India.
The composition of those leaving presents a specific challenge for the Israeli economy. The study identified a sharp rise in departures among highly skilled professionals in 2023 and 2024. Net departures included 2,360 engineers and 509 doctors. Ater emphasized that the economy relies heavily on this human capital, pointing to the tech industry, academia, and health care sectors as areas of particular concern. The loss of these workers threatens the structural integrity of key industries.
Corporate leaders are also responding to the shift. Liam Schwartz, who heads the corporate immigration department at the Tel Aviv law firm Goldfarb, Gross, Seligman, said some companies face pressure from non-Israeli shareholders and investors. These stakeholders are concerned about the viability of operating from Israel and are more willing to shift workforce portions to North America or Europe. Schwartz traced the growing discontent to January 2023, when the government proposed judicial reforms that would have reduced the powers of the Supreme Court. He stated that many feel the government is no longer meeting its part of the social contract.
Schwartz described the upcoming October vote as a potential watershed moment for whether emigration rises further. Ater characterized the situation as a strategic risk to Israel as a democracy and a liberal country. He added that the situation is a concern not only for the Middle East but for the wider world as well.
Source: CBC News
