The Aliyah, Absorption, and Diaspora Committee, chaired by MK Gilad Kariv, held its fourth follow-up discussion today (Monday) on the rise in the number of Israelis leaving the country in recent years.
According to data presented during the discussion, approximately 125,200 citizens have left Israel since 2022. In 2024 alone, 8,400 cases of voluntary residency cancellation were recorded with the National Insurance Institute - a sharp increase compared to an average of around 2,500 cases in previous years. Additionally, according to the Israeli Democracy Institute, Israel’s migration balance has turned negative since 2023.
However, recent data has shown a decline in the number of Israelis choosing to leave the country since the height of the war.
Currently, the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption operates a network of ten "Israeli Houses" in major cities across Europe and North America, which serve as hubs for connecting with Israeli communities abroad.
The Ministry intends to establish another center in Australia. Additionally, during the discussion, it was reported that a new strategic plan to bring Israelis back to Israel is expected to be published in the first quarter of 2026.
According to Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) data, in 2024, approximately 65% of those leaving were new immigrants who arrived in Israel in the last five years. Additionally, in 2023, about 60% of those leaving had a bachelor's degree, and about 25% had at least a master's degree.
According to CBS, in 2025, there was a slight moderation in the number of Israelis choosing to leave the country, according to a report from CBS representative in the Knesset.
An analysis from the Israeli Democracy Institute shows that the likelihood of leaving Israel is higher among secular individuals, those aged 18-34, individuals with high income, and those with foreign citizenship. Secular people, for example, are twice as likely to consider leaving compared to traditional non-religious people, and thirty times more likely than haredim.
The data indicate that while the Ministry of Aliyah and Absorption is working to strengthen ties with Israelis abroad, there is currently no comprehensive government plan to stop the decline or to bring emigrants back.
During the discussion, it was argued that broader inter-ministerial responsibility should be implemented and that political and social actions deepening internal divisions should be stopped. According to some participants in the discussion, these divisions are one of the central factors contributing to the trend.
The National Insurance Institute reported that in 2024, there was an increase in cases where residency was canceled within less than five years of leaving, compared to the regular process of canceling residency after five years.
Ahead of a follow-up discussion to be held in the coming weeks, the committee requested data from the Council for Higher Education (CHE), Central Bureau of Statistics, and the National Planning Institute regarding the decrease in academic professionals, particularly post-doctorates, amid concerns about the brain drain from Israel.