A sharp drop in the number of Israelis returning to the country: "The government not only neglected it, but led to it"
In 2022-2024, there was a drastic 53% decrease in the number of returning residents. According to the Knesset Research and Information Center, the main deterrents are the waiting period for health insurance, discrimination in rights compared to new immigrants, and difficulties in integrating children.
Anyone who believes that global antisemitism is driving Israelis to return home will be disappointed. A new report by the Knesset Research and Information Center reveals a concerning trend: the number of returning residents has dropped by 53% in recent years. This data complements figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics regarding the dramatic increase in the number of Israelis leaving the country.
While the annual average of returnees stood at 9,300 between 2008 and 2012, and about 7,400 between 2013 and 2020, the period from 2021 to 2024 saw a steep decline—from approximately 8,000 in 2020 to about 3,800 in 2024, the lowest figure in recent years. The study notes that the primary decline occurred in 2023.
The negative migration balance for Israel between 2022 and 2024 reached 140,000 people. Most returnees historically came from North America, but that flow has also dropped significantly, from 3,700 in 2020 to just 1,500 in 2024. Conversely, the share of returnees from Russia and Ukraine rose in 2022 (to 8% and 9% respectively), likely due to the ongoing war.
Barriers and Challenges
The study highlights several bureaucratic and social hurdles that deter Israelis from returning:
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Rights Discrimination: Returning residents receive significantly less support than new immigrants, particularly in housing, financial aid, taxation, and education.
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Health Insurance Wait Times: Israelis who have been abroad for extended periods face a waiting period of up to six months for state health insurance unless they pay a special fee of 16,860 NIS. In practice, 94% of returnees in 2022–2024 opted not to pay, remaining without state coverage for months.
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Employment and Status: Returnees struggle to find well-paying jobs, and the process of regularizing the status of non-Israeli spouses can take five to seven years.
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Education Integration: Support for children who are not fluent in Hebrew remains limited.
A Missed Opportunity
"A government that wants to bring Israelis home should have prioritized this issue," said MK Gilad Kariv, Chairman of the Knesset Committee for Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs. He argued that despite the global wave of hostility toward Israel, the government chose to focus on the judicial revolution rather than addressing the cost of living or societal divisions.
Despite committee demands, the government has failed to formulate a strategic plan or appoint an authorized body to address the emigration wave, unlike the successful five-year plan implemented in 2010–2015. "In the next government, we will promote a dedicated five-year plan to provide solutions for status, employment, and absorption," Kariv stated. "We will not give up on those who left, and we will do everything to make their return easier."
