Survey Results: 93% of Respondents Have Seriously Considered Emigrating from Iran

According to the latest survey by the Open Data Iran database, 93% of respondents say they have seriously considered emigrating from the country. About half of this number state that they have taken steps towards emigration, with those holding university degrees being more prevalent among them than those without. More than half of the respondents indicate that they began contemplating emigration between 2009 and 2019, with most being aged 29 to 30. The topic of Iranian emigration has consistently been discussed under the term 'brain drain.' However, in recent years, this issue has expanded from the level of brain drain, which refers to the emigration of skilled workers, to broader emigration trends. The 2022 Iran Migration Yearbook states: 'Emigration can be considered the fastest-growing social phenomenon in Iran over the past two years. The declining trend of social hope, economic instability, and the reduction of fundamental freedoms, such as free internet, alongside the dire state of other factors like economic, social, and political issues, have released the compressed spring of emigration and led to a kind of mass emigration phenomenon in Iran.' According to Open Data Iran, this report estimates the population of Iranians (born in Iran) in the twenty countries with the highest Iranian populations in the world to be around two million. In contrast, oral narratives estimate the population of Iranians abroad to be between 4 to 8 million. Overall, 90% of respondents say they first thought about emigrating from the country after 2009, with the highest percentage (10%) stating they first considered leaving in 2019. Single individuals have thought about emigration more since 2009, while married individuals have done so more after 2019. Previously married individuals (divorced/widowed) tended to think about emigration more before 2009. Those with temporary/contract jobs have considered emigration more since 2009, while students have done so more since 2019. Individuals with permanent jobs or those unemployed and retired have thought about emigration more before 2009. Nearly half of the respondents say they first thought about emigration between the ages of 20 to 30. About one in four said they first had such thoughts before the age of 20. Men considered emigration at younger ages than women, and vice versa. Individuals with university education first thought about emigration at older ages compared to those without. Married or previously married individuals first thought about emigration at older ages than single individuals. Those with permanent jobs first thought about emigration at older ages, while those with temporary jobs considered it at middle ages (between 20 to 30). Despite 93% of respondents saying they have thought about emigration at some point in their lives, only about 55% have taken practical steps towards it. Individuals with university education are more likely to have taken practical steps than those without. Approximately 60% of respondents believe there is more than a 50% chance they will emigrate in the near future. 27% of respondents believe there is more than a 90% chance they will emigrate soon. The likelihood of taking steps towards emigration is higher among those with university education compared to those without, and among students compared to unemployed, retired, or non-working individuals. 93% of respondents know a family member or friend who has emigrated.