Why fewer Israelis are coming home: Return migration to Israel plunges 53%
Return migration to Israel has dropped sharply in recent years according to a recent Knesset report.
The number of Israelis returning to live in the country fell by 53 percent, declining from about 8,000 in 2020 to just 3,800 in 2024, the lowest figure recorded in recent years. The steepest decline occurred after 2022, with returns from the United States alone falling from 3,700 to 1,500 over the same period. Overall Israel recorded a negative migration balance of roughly 140,000 people between 2022 and 2024.
Several practical barriers help explain the trend. Returning residents often face waits of up to six months for state health insurance coverage unless they pay a substantial fee that most choose to avoid.
They also receive fewer financial benefits, housing support, and educational assistance than new immigrants. Finding suitable employment can prove difficult, children may struggle to integrate into schools due to limited Hebrew language support, and non Israeli spouses frequently encounter multi year processes to secure legal status.
Knesset Immigration Absorption and Diaspora Affairs Committee chairman MK Gilad Kariv described the decline as a historic missed opportunity. He argued that successive governments have failed to prioritize returnees and lack a dedicated strategic plan or authority for the issue, focusing instead on other domestic priorities.
Kariv has called for a comprehensive five year program to streamline legal processes, improve employment and education support, and better absorb returning families.
