One-Way Tickets: About 268,000 Israelis Left the Country in the Last 3 Years

A new Tel Aviv University study reveals that between 2023 and 2025, about 268,000 Israelis left the country for periods of three consecutive months or more, a record high. The researchers warn that if the trend continues, it could endanger the economy and security, due to the departure of strong populations such as doctors, engineers, and academics.

A new study by a team of researchers from Tel Aviv University presents alarming data on the emigration trend from Israel. According to the study, the number of Israelis who left the country in 2025 for a period of three consecutive months or more was 90,922, slightly lower than in 2024 (91,499) and slightly higher than in 2023 (86,509). In total, between 2023 and 2025, nearly 270,000 Israelis left, compared with about 60,000 per year in the previous decade. The researchers, Prof. Itai Ater, Prof. Natai Bergman, and Doron Zamir, rely on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics and note a significant and worrying increase in the number of doctors, engineers, and academics. They warn that if the trend continues, it could endanger the economy and security, as Israel depends on high-quality human capital in the high-tech industry and knowledge-intensive fields. However, they emphasize that the current numbers do not pose an immediate threat, but a departure from equilibrium could lead to a sharp jump in emigration rates.