Following previous reports on the rising emigration of Iranian elites, the state-affiliated website Digiato reported that Iran has turned into an exporter of skilled programming professionals.
Digiato, highlighting the work of programmers across various Iranian cities delivering projects to clients in London, Berlin, or Toronto, wrote: “They export knowledge and code instead of goods or oil; with an internet full of restrictions and an uncertain future, but with skills that know no borders.”
Citing the 2024 Quera survey and emphasizing that only a subset of developers has preferred to remain in the country despite difficulties, Digiato added: “Only 20% of Iranian programmers have no desire to emigrate.”
Growing Wave of Professor Migration Poses Serious Challenge To Iran’s Scientific Future
The findings of this survey, which involved over 5,120 programmers, show that 40% of them definitely intend to emigrate, while 32% currently have no plans but may decide to do so in the future.
According to the Quera survey, 69% of programmers cited a higher quality of life, 61% mentioned improved economic conditions, and 42% pointed to gaining social freedoms as their main reasons for emigration.
Additionally, 8% of participants said they intend to gain experience abroad and then return to Iran.
Main destinations for Iranian emigration
According to the latest report by the International Organization for Migration, the United States, Canada, and Germany were the top three destinations for Iranian citizens emigrating in 2024.
Digiato reported a significant share of programmers and developers among Iranian emigrants and noted: “One must not overlook the size of the global freelancing market, whose expansion has also reached Iran.”
An Iranian programmer who emigrated to Canada told Digiato that higher income and quality of life for programmers abroad, along with internet restrictions such as censorship and software sanctions in Iran, are among the reasons developers choose to emigrate.
Referring to the welcoming attitude of various countries such as Australia, Canada, and European nations toward computer specialists, he added: “These countries have attracted these individuals by offering higher incentives, and this trend has led to the emigration of a large portion of software engineers over the past decade.”
A blockchain developer who works as a freelancer from inside Iran for foreign companies told Digiato: “For a foreign employer, hiring Iranian talent is very cost-effective.”
Continuing its report, Digiato, pointing to the many obstacles facing Iranian programmers that force them to emigrate, warned that this situation has created a serious challenge for domestic companies and startups, which now face a shortage of skilled professionals.
This is not the first time reports have been published about the emigration of various segments of society.
Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran’s regime, on May 4 criticized the decision by some Iranian citizens to emigrate and said: “We are currently raising children who have their minds set on leaving the country, but we must raise children who dedicate themselves to bringing pride to the country on the global stage.”
He continued: “It is not an achievement to become an elite and go to America to give them my talent and knowledge.”
Earlier, on March 23, Mohammad Jalili, the head of the Faculty Recruitment Center at the Ministry of Health, warned that the departure of faculty members has reached Iran’s top universities.
