This report relates to all people arriving in Israel, including those already here who were changing their status, and Israelis who were processed by Aliyah Shlichim (such as returning minors, minors with Israeli citizenship, foreign-born citizens and returning residents)-henceforth "people arriving in Israel" unless otherwise stated. Israelis processed by Aliyah Shlichim were mainly from Western countries.

Between January and October 2003, 19,338 people arrived in Israel under the auspices of the Jewish Agency. Among these 18,275 were immigrants (including those who willingly changed their status and those who have had citizenship conferred on them). The rest were Israelis who were processed by Aliyah Shlichim. This is a decrease of 32% compared to the same period last year.

Immigrants from the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe

• Between January and October 2003, 9,404 immigrants arrived from the FSU (making up 49% of the total number of immigrants). This is a 39% decrease compared to the same period last year.
  In an analysis of individual countries we see that the most significant decrease in Aliyah is from the Ukraine (2,859 between January and October 2003, compared with 5,472 last year), and from Russia. Between January and October 2003, 3,715 immigrants arrived from Russia compared with 5,434 immigrants during the same period in the previous year.
• Between January and October 2003, 181 immigrants arrived from Eastern Europe, compared with 261 immigrants that arrived during the same period last year. This is an decrease of 30%.

Aliyah from the West

• Between January and October 2003, 2,473 people arrived from Western Europe. Of these, 2,105 were immigrants and 368 were Israelis. This is a 6% decrease compared to the same period last year.
• Between January and October 2003, 1,764 immigrants arrived from France, compared with 2,093 that arrived during the same period last year. This is a decrease of 16%.
• Between January and October 2003, 2,181 immigrants and Israelis arrived from North America. This is approximately a 19% increase compared to the same period last year.
• Between January and October 2003, 1,868 immigrants and Israelis arrived from South America. This is a 64% decrease compared to the same period last year. The majority of immigrants from South America continue to come from Argentina. 902 immigrants and Israelis arrived between January and October 2003, comprising approximately 50% of those arriving from this continent.

Aliyah from Other Countries

2,577 immigrants arrived from Ethiopia between January and October 2003. This is the same amount compared to the same period last year.

Immigrants in Israeli Absorption Centers

During October 2003 there were 9,047 immigrants living in initial absorption facilities.

1. 4,876 were in absorption centers. 9% of them are participants in the Selah program, 14% are students, 9% are (other) youth, 16% are pre-aliyah registration from Shaliach in Western Countries, and 2% are participants of business programs. 1,846 of the immigrants in absorption centers (38%) are immigrants from Ethiopia.
2. 4,101 immigrants from Ethiopia were living in additional absorption facilities run by the Jewish Agency for the specific purpose of absorbing the current wave of immigration from Ethiopia.
   

Charts

Statistical Overview (PDF 27K*)

Immigrants and Israelis Handled by Aliyah Emissaries (PDF 25K*)

Last updated: Wednesday, July 07, 2004