The most notable change in immigration over the past year is the increasing number of families with young children making aliyah, according to Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer.
“It’s very impressive,” he told The Jerusalem Post. “And it forces us to deal with matters like children’s education and employment. Typically, most new immigrants are young students or older adults. However, the events of October 7 sparked a wave of solidarity and identification among Jews abroad. People are coming here with tears in their eyes. Of course, antisemitism plays a role in motivating people to move, but ultimately, they are coming to Israel because they feel it is their home.”
Over the past two years, the Aliyah and Integration Ministry has made significant efforts to attract immigrants who had previously been hesitant due to the need to change professions. The minister shared a striking statistic: 65% of new immigrants have changed their profession upon arriving in Israel.
“This was a barrier to quality immigration,” he explained. “And it led us to initiate a license reform. This was a longstanding issue that should have been addressed long ago. These are people with careers – doctors, architects, engineers, lawyers – and when someone decides to immigrate at the age of 50, they’re told to retake university or licensing exams. That essentially sends the message: ‘Don’t come to Israel.’”
The reform, spearheaded by Sofer and his team, is dramatically changing the process for immigrants seeking to work in their original professions.
Entering Israeli society easily
“We shortened medical internships to six months. If you’re a lawyer, you just need a co-signer. These steps allow professionals to start working in their fields from day one.”
As part of the reform, the ministry now engages with immigrants at the earliest stage – when they first open their aliyah file – to avoid overwhelming them with professional bureaucracy alongside the challenges of finding housing, learning Hebrew, and navigating other bureaucratic hurdles.
“This reform is truly moving,” said Sofer. “In terms of aliyah and integration, it’s historic. These are professions that are relevant for Israel, and the age at which people are coming is ideal. Their children, too, will grow up and settle here.”
A dedicated unit has also been established within the ministry to assist immigrant doctors. The unit’s director handles everything from licensing to integration, including support for spouses and children’s education.
“We provide significant grants to encourage doctors to move to priority regions, where the grants are even higher – and it’s working,” Sofer said. “This year, we doubled the number of immigrant doctors. More than 500 doctors made aliyah, and nearly 60 of them went to work in the northern region. That’s a game-changer for healthcare there. Our goal is to expand this model – developed for doctors – to other professions as well, with help from various government ministries.”
Additionally, the ministry aims to strengthen communities that absorb immigrants. New immigrants who move to the Galilee or Negev receive NIS 2,000 in monthly rent assistance, and there are plans to extend this benefit to Judea and Samaria and other areas in the North and South.
The ministry is also preparing to launch a department that will assist immigrants with issues like mortgages and bank account transfers.
“Our goal is to support immigrants across all aspects of life,” said Sofer.
Another target for the ministry is encouraging more international students to make aliyah.
“We launched 27 student programs this past year and plan to increase that number to 40 in the coming year. We also help with tuition and rent for the first two years. This allows people to study in Israel, in their native language, and receive a quality education.”
According to Sofer, the past year has brought dramatic changes in the field of aliyah.
“When I took office, I made it a goal to build infrastructure that would encourage aliyah from Western countries. Since October 7, the biggest numerical shift we’ve seen is a rise in the number of aliyah files opened – the initial step before immigration – in both the UK and France. The IDF has also absorbed hundreds of young immigrants from abroad, far more than in an average year.”
Sofer also emphasizes the importance of strengthening the connection between the Israeli government and Jewish communities around the world.
“When I meet with community leaders, they tell me: young Jews want to feel pride in the State of Israel,” he said. “I believe that if government ministers visiting abroad also made it a point to meet with Jewish communities, it would make a real difference. Even short, hour-long meetings during politically sensitive times – such as the judicial reform debate – helped break down barriers and ease tensions.”
Sofer summed up his vision: “The stronger the connection between Israel and the Diaspora, the more they will feel at home here. That’s why this must become a strategic priority for the State of Israel."