Director-General’s Report, August 2005

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 - August 2005, 14,188 people arrived in Israel under the auspices of the Jewish Agency. Among these 13,094 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 similar to the number of immigrants that arrived during the same period last year.

• Between January - August 2005, 5,250 immigrants arrived from the FSU (making up 37% of the total number of immigrants) a 11% decrease compared to the same period last year. The majority of immigrants coming from the Former Soviet Union are from Russia. 2,206 immigrants arrived from Russia, similar to the number of immigrants that arrived during the same period last year. 1,354 immigrants arrived from Ukraine, a 23% decrease compared to the same period last year.
  
• Between January - August 2005, 191 immigrants arrived from Eastern Europe, similar to the number of immigrants that arrived during the same period last year.

Aliyah from the West

• Between January - August 2005, 2,891 people arrived from Western Europe. Of these, 2,412 were immigrants and 479 were Israelis. This is a 22% increase compared to the same period last year. (An increase of 22% in the number of new immigrants and a 20% increase in the number of Israelis).
  
• 2,200 immigrants arrived from France, compared with 1,740 that arrived during the same period last year (an increase of 26%).
  
• 1,929 immigrants and Israelis arrived between January - August 2005 from North America, compared to 1,723 that arrived during the same period last year (an increase of 12%).
  
• 1,105 immigrants and Israelis arrived from South America, compared to 891 that arrived during the same period last year (an increase of 24%). 276 immigrants arrived from Argentina, and 276 immigrants arrived from Brazil.

Aliyah from Other Countries

Immigrants in Israeli Absorption Centers

1. 4,202 were in absorption centers. 3% of them are participants in the Selah program, 10% are students, 8% are (other) youth, 23% are pre-aliyah registration from Shaliach in Western Countries, and 4% are participants of business programs. 1,921 of the immigrants in absorption centers (46%) are immigrants from Ethiopia.
   
   
2. An additional 5,420 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.