For the first time in 2025, more people left Israel than arrived, a trend that could have long-term negative consequences for the country, according to immigration lawyer Joshua Pex of Decker, Pex, Levi Law Firm in Jerusalem.
Speaking on the ILTV Podcast, Pex said the deficit stands at around 20,000 more people leaving Israel than coming in.
“I think the impact will be pretty profound, especially if it keeps going the way it's been,” Pex said. “The impact is very broad. It can impact things that you don't think about, like the price of property or the value of apartments. I think as a country, especially Israel, that has been used to more people returning than leaving, suddenly, this change of direction will have an impact.”
At the same time, Pex said there is a growing push among Israelis to obtain second or dual citizenships, particularly in Europe. He explained that the motivation is partly financial, but also tied to personal security, as Israel faces ongoing threats from Iran and hostile neighbors.
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Some of the most popular countries offering these pathways include Germany and Austria, both of which have amended their nationality laws in recent years. Other options include Poland, Lithuania, and Bulgaria. Pex said that Israelis seeking a second passport must review their ancestry, conduct archival research, and confirm eligibility.
However, he cautioned that the process is far from simple.
“It will cost energy and money,” Pex said, adding that applicants must be prepared to invest significant time. He emphasized the importance of starting the process early, before someone feels an urgent need to leave Israel, so they can approach it with patience.
Pex noted that he often sees families initiating the process on behalf of relatives, such as grandparents applying for the benefit of their children and grandchildren. Many of these individuals are not planning to leave Israel themselves but want to ensure their family members have a backup option.
“It's important to do a preliminary assessment,” Pex said. “We can check whether the story that the person is telling us will meet any of the criteria for a German or Austrian passport, for example. Once we assess that they would meet the criteria, then we ask if they have documents. If they don't have documents, we can do our own archival research. Sometimes we can find the documents. But sometimes not.”
When archives are not digitized, Pex explained, deeper research is required to establish the necessary connections. Once that stage is complete, the remainder of the process is largely bureaucratic.
“It's pretty much bureaucracy. It has to do with translations, paying fees, all the stamps, submission of the application and waiting. But we take care of many of these kinds of cases,” he said.
Turning to Israeli citizenship, Pex said the process appears straightforward on paper but has become more complicated since the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications from abroad, he noted, are taking an exceptionally long time, while applications submitted inside Israel have also become more difficult due to legal changes.
During the waiting period, applicants are often unable to work or access many state benefits.
“You would think that Israel is a country that praises Aliyah and wants people to immigrate here and so would streamline the process much more. But what we are seeing is that many people are running into difficulties,” he said.
For those who want to work in Israel without becoming citizens, Pex said there are alternative visa options. These include the B1 work visa and a newer investment visa, known as the B5, which is available exclusively to Americans interested in investing in Israel.
Applicants must demonstrate that they are investing in an existing company or establishing a new one that contributes to the economy by creating jobs. In return, they can receive a long-term visa for themselves and their families.
“Not many Americans have taken advantage of this visa, but maybe because it came into effect right before the COVID pandemic, and then there was the war,” Pex said. “But we hope that there will be more of these kinds of applications.”
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