99,000: The Highest Recorded Departure Rate in Israel's History

Itai Ater, a professor at the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University, reported that 99,000 Israelis left the country between January 2023 and December 2024. This figure represents the highest recorded departure rate in the nation's history. Ater and his colleagues published these findings in February based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics.

The study defines a departure as leaving the country for at least three consecutive months and spending more than 270 days abroad during the first year. Approximately 50,000 residents left in 2023, while 49,000 departed in 2024. Ater noted that preliminary data indicates this pattern continued through 2025. He stated that many citizens are questioning whether they wish to raise children in the current environment, a sentiment he said he shares.

The period of high emigration coincided with major political and military shifts. The Hamas attack in October 2023 killed roughly 1,200 people and resulted in 250 hostages. Israel responded with a military campaign in Gaza, where a ceasefire took effect in October 2025. Despite the truce, Israel controls about 60 percent of the enclave and maintains regular military activity. The nation also faces uncertainty regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently on trial for corruption, a case that began in 2020 without a verdict.

Next week's election is expected to influence the emigration rate. Polls indicate that Netanyahu's far-right bloc will likely fall short of the 61 Knesset seats required for a majority. Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, is positioned to win the most seats but is also expected to lack a majority. Ater warned that without political change, departure numbers could rise sharply, describing the trend as a strategic risk to the country's stability.

The exodus is affecting key economic sectors. The study recorded net departures of 2,360 engineers and 509 doctors in 2023 and 2024. Ater emphasized that the economy relies on this human capital in technology, academia, and healthcare. Liam Schwartz, head of corporate immigration at the law firm Goldfarb, Gross, Seligman, said some companies are moving workforce operations to North America or Europe due to investor concerns. Schwartz traced this discontent to judicial reform proposals introduced in January 2023, which many view as a breach of the social contract.

Avigail Ben-Porat, a 50-year-old single mother in Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanese border, said she intends to leave but lacks the financial means. She hears rocket fire regularly and has friends living in Portugal, Canada, Thailand, and India. Schwartz described the upcoming vote as a potential watershed for the future of Israeli emigration.