Foreign Postdoctoral Researchers in Israel Drop by Over 20% in Two Years

The number of foreign postdoctoral researchers in Israel has dropped by more than 20 percent over the past two years, according to data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics.

Data shows that the number of foreign researchers participating in postdoctoral studies fell by 11.6 percent in 2025, following a 10.1 percent decline in 2024. In contrast, the number of Israeli researchers increased by 8.5 percent and 8.7 percent respectively. In 2025, a total of 3,115 PhD holders conducted postdoctoral research across eight universities in Israel, with less than half of them coming from abroad.

The total number of research projects was down by 60 compared to 2024, as Israeli projects increased by 130 while foreign projects decreased by 190. Postdoctoral research represents a phase of independent investigation following the completion of a doctorate.

Foreign researchers came from 73 countries, with more than half arriving from India at 52 percent. Other prominent countries of origin include China with 8.9 percent, Germany with 6.1 percent, the United States with 3.7 percent, Italy with 3.4 percent, France with 2.9 percent, and Russia with 2.8 percent.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem leads the country in the total number of postdoctoral researchers, hosting 24.7 percent of all participants across 13 fields of study. The Weizmann Institute of Science follows with 16.4 percent of researchers, 58.3 percent of whom are foreign. Ben-Gurion University hosts 13.9 percent of researchers, while Tel Aviv University and the Technion each account for 11.7 percent.

Data indicates distinct areas of specialization among the institutions. The Hebrew University leads in fields such as agriculture, humanities, languages, and social sciences. The Weizmann Institute leads in biological sciences, while the Technion leads in engineering, architecture, and medicine.