Foreign-born population – 2024 | 19.3% of the population | Main countries of birth: |
1.8 million, 55% women | Evolution since 2014: ‑1% | Former USSR (50%), Morocco (7%), United States (6%) |
International Migration Outlook 2025
In 2024, Israel received 40 000 new immigrants on a long-term or permanent basis (including changes of status), ‑14% compared to 2023. This figure comprises 17% family members (including accompanying family). Around 81 000 permits were issued to temporary and seasonal labour migrants in 2023.
Russia, the United States and Ukraine were the top three nationalities of newcomers in 2023. Among the top 15 countries of origin, Azerbaijan registered the strongest increase (11) and Ukraine the largest decrease (‑12 000) in flows to Israel compared to the previous year.
In 2024, the number of first asylum applicants decreased by ‑11%, to reach around 6 100. The majority of applicants came from Russia (700), India (600) and Malawi (500). The largest increase since 2023 concerned nationals of Malawi (500) and the largest decrease nationals of Russia (‑1 200). Of the 5 460 decisions taken in 2024, 25 were positive.
Emigration of Israeli citizens to OECD countries increased by 9% in 2023, to 11 000. Approximately 33% of this group migrated to the United States, 18% to Germany and 9% to Canada.
In the field of permanent migration under the Law of Return, inflows continue to fall from 2022 – when Russian and Ukrainian migrants boosted total numbers – to 2023 and 2024. While Russians comprised 72% of new immigrants in 2023, that fell to 60% in 2024, along with a 30% decline in overall immigration.
In 2024, the Finance Committee amended the property tax benefits for new immigrants to exempt first-time buyers from paying purchase tax on the first NIS 1.98 million of the value of a home bought in 2024. The original budget for the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration was reduced by 10% in 2025 relative to 2024. In March 2024 to strengthen absorption, rental assistance for new immigrants was updated to concentrate support in the first year after arrival and is tailored to households’ circumstances. The reform also supplements support for new immigrants who settle in designated National Priority/periphery areas.
Several changes were made to conditions which previously benefited new immigrants. From 2026, new immigrants must report to the tax authority all global income and assets; this ends longstanding exemptions and aligns with OECD standards.
In March 2025, the Israeli Government approved reforms to expedite the professional licensing process for new immigrants in a number of regulated professions. The changes allow the process to start before arrival and grant temporary licenses to qualified professionals to practice their occupations more swiftly upon arrival.
In the field of temporary foreign workers, policy activity has, since Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023, been largely focussed on expanding the channels and number of temporary foreign workers to substitute the suspended entry of Palestinian daily workers to Israel and to address increased labour demand in a number of sectors. The quotas have been lifted, and the government set in 2024 a ceiling for the stock of foreign workers at 3.3% of total resident population – well above the number of foreign workers in Israel at the time.
In light of the increased quotas for foreign workers and the urgent need for large scale recruitment within a short period of time, Israel has allowed direct recruitment of foreign workers to Israel, in parallel with recruitment via bilateral labour agreements, in a number of industries, including construction and agriculture. The “B2B” programme is subject to a quota and it is limited in time.
The number of foreign workers at the end of 2024 stood at 156 800, up 41% from 2023, with most of the increase driven by construction (51 600, up 108%) and agriculture (33 100, up 92%).
Israel introduced Electronic Travel Authorization for visa‑exempt nationals as a pilot in 2024 and imposed it from 2025 on all visa‑exempt travellers.
Israel continues to extend its non-refoulement policy concerning Ukrainians not eligible for the Law of Return in Israel, including non-enforcement of the prohibition concerning employment of Ukrainians without work permits.
For further information: www.gov.il/en.
