Israel sees 42% drop in immigration in 2024 amid war, significant decline in opened Aliyah files

Immigration to Israel in 2024 has experienced a sharp decrease, with a 42% drop in the number of new immigrants arriving in the first eight months of the year compared to the same period in 2023. From January to August 2024, 23,183 immigrants arrived, a steep decline from the 39,857 immigrants who came during the same period the previous year.

The reduction in immigration was highlighted during a discussion on Sunday of the Knesset’s Aliyah, Absorption, and Diaspora Committee, chaired by MK Oded Forer (Israel Beytenu), on the state of immigration to Israel amid the ongoing Operation Swords of Iron.

According to the Jewish Agency, the majority of the immigrants arriving in 2024 – 72%, or 16,608 people – came from former Soviet Union countries, with 14,514 arriving from Russia, 693 from Ukraine, and 546 from Belarus. However, this represents a 49% decrease compared to the same period last year. In contrast, immigration from western Europe increased by 50% with 2,446 immigrants, led by a 76% increase in arrivals from France.

Drop in aliyah files opened since the outbreak of war

Since the beginning of the war, there has been a 19% decrease in the number of aliyah files opened worldwide compared to last year, with a total of 30,763 files opened. In Russia, the number of aliyah files opened fell by 45%, with 13,203 files opened between October 2023 and September 2024. On the other hand, there has been a notable increase in immigration from Western nations. The US saw a 60% rise, with 6,367 files opened, and France experienced a dramatic 342% increase, with 5,657 files opened.

The number of immigrants from the US grew by 11%, with 2,202 arriving so far this year, compared to 1,931 during the same period in 2023. Immigration from France saw the most significant surge, with 1,456 immigrants, up from 827 last year – a 76% increase.

MK Forer criticized the Israeli government’s policies regarding aliyah. “The declared policy was to encourage aliyah from Western countries while neglecting the post-Soviet space,” he said.

Government's response

Forer emphasized the need for equitable prioritization. “A Jew living in Saint Petersburg is no less important than a Jew living in Paris,” he stated, calling for immediate action to reduce waiting times for immigration approvals, which currently stand at three months in Moscow and six months in Saint Petersburg.

MK Avi Maoz, deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, noted efforts to digitize the immigration process to reduce waiting times but acknowledged the challenges: “We aim to reduce waiting times as much as possible, but due to bureaucratic issues, it is unrealistic to expect less than two months,” he said.

Increase in Western immigration

The discussion also revealed that the war in Israel has contributed to a decrease in demand for aliyah interviews. Potential immigrants from post-Soviet countries have delayed their plans due to security concerns.

Despite these challenges, Forer urged the government to address the situation urgently, including increasing investment in promoting aliyah from former Soviet Union countries and improving the absorption process for immigrants from around the world. “The potential for aliyah to Israel is not being realized, especially from countries like Russia and Ukraine,” he said.

Forer concluded the discussion by calling for a re-evaluation of government priorities and urging further support for communities across the globe eager to immigrate to Israel.