Harvard and Tel Aviv University study: 50% decline in return of tech workers to Israel

A study by researchers from Harvard University and Tel Aviv University, revealed by Channel 12, shows a decline of about half in the rate of Israelis returning from abroad between 2022 and 2024, especially in the tech sector and among PhD holders, with a widening gap between those leaving and returning.

A study by researchers from Harvard University and Tel Aviv University found that the rate of Israelis returning from abroad dropped by about half between 2022 and 2024 across several professional categories, including tech workers, according to Israeli Channel 12. The researchers analyzed education and employment data for about 1.16 million Israeli LinkedIn accounts and found that the return rate among those who worked or studied abroad fell from about 5% in 2022 to 2.5% in 2024. PhD holders who studied outside Israel recorded the lowest return rates, dropping from 3.2% to 1.3%. The return rate among senior tech managers fell from 3.9% to 1.6%, and among tech workers and STEM graduates from about 3.5% to 1.7%. The data showed a widening gap between leavers and returnees, with a net difference of about 5,100 people in 2024, a 20% increase compared to 2022. The gap increased by 69% among STEM graduates and by 27% among tech workers. The number of leavers among the top 20% earners in tech rose from 269 in 2021 to 328 in 2024. According to the researchers, the decline in return rates began before 2023 but accelerated during that year and 2024, which saw the continuation of the war. The full study is expected to be published soon.