OECD Data Shows Sharp Increase in Iranian Students and Professionals Moving Abroad
In recent days, social media platforms have been filled with striking images showing groups of high-achieving graduates from prominent Iranian universities—such as the University of Tehran, Sharif University of Technology, Amirkabir University of Technology, and various medical sciences universities—standing together in airports in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Turkey. They appear in graduation gowns, holding their diplomas, with signs behind them reading “Welcome to Canada” or “Welcome to Germany.”
According to social experts, each of these images is more than just a collective “selfie.” They document a long-running national trend that has spanned decades and is now accelerating: the migrat…
OECD Data Shows Sharp Increase in Iranian Students and Professionals Moving Abroad
In recent days, social media platforms have been filled with striking images showing groups of high-achieving graduates from prominent Iranian universities—such as the University of Tehran, Sharif University of Technology, Amirkabir University of Technology, and various medical sciences universities—standing together in airports in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Turkey. They appear in graduation gowns, holding their diplomas, with signs behind them reading “Welcome to Canada” or “Welcome to Germany.”
According to social experts, each of these images is more than just a collective “selfie.” They document a long-running national trend that has spanned decades and is now accelerating: the migration of Iranian professionals and highly skilled individuals.
Read more Iran Loses Highly Educated and Skilled Citizens during Long-Running “Brain Drain”
According to estimates cited by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank, more than 110,000 Iranian students are currently studying abroad, and over 70% of them reportedly do not intend to return. Over the past five years alone, more than 25,000 physicians, engineers, university professors, and PhD researchers have emigrated, based on official Iranian statistics published under public pressure.
Why now? Several factors have accumulated over time, as described by academic observers and specialists:
- Ongoing economic decline: Reports indicate inflation exceeding 50%, severe depreciation of the rial, and university faculty salaries described by experts as insufficient to cover basic monthly expenses.
- Academic restrictions: University departments in fields such as philosophy and social sciences have reportedly been closed; hundreds of professors dismissed over their views; and travel restrictions and limitations on research funding have been documented by academic associations.
- Lack of professional prospects: Analysts note that major companies have shut down, factories have halted operations, and research laboratories lack essential materials.
- Global comparisons: Young Iranians observe peers who have emigrated to countries such as Canada or Germany publishing research in international journals and earning salaries several times higher.
Psychology and sociology experts studying generational trends have noted an increasing cultural and psychological distance between Generation Z in Iran and state institutions. This generation has grown up using the unfiltered internet (often through VPNs), consuming global digital content, reading international news outlets in English, and following global salary benchmarks in fields such as engineering and scientific research.
According to these expert assessments, many young people prioritize normal living conditions, freedom, opportunities for creativity, and personal dignity over political slogans.
Independent surveys conducted between 2024 and 2025 indicate that more than 82% of Iranians aged 18–35 report having “no trust at all” in state institutions, including universities, the judiciary, the media, and even national sports teams.
Daily outcomes of this shift have been documented in research and public reporting:
- Medical students refusing mandatory service in remote areas.
- University professors submitting resignations in significant numbers.
- Iranian start-up companies opening branches in Dubai while keeping their main operational hubs outside Iran.
- Even among religious youth, some are choosing to emigrate, citing “human dignity” as a primary motive.
Researchers note that state institutions acknowledge many of these figures but have not presented comprehensive policy responses, aside from statements regarding travel restrictions or references to “soft warfare.”
Public demonstrations abroad
Between 24 September and 1 October 2025, large demonstrations were held in multiple European and North American cities, organized by Iranian diaspora communities. Events were reported in London, New York, Berlin, Toronto, and Washington, where participants displayed photos of emigrating graduates and signs stating: “We are not escaping Iran; we are escaping your system.” Demonstrators called on the international community to support the Iranian people’s protest movement and emphasized that preventing further brain drain requires fundamental political change, according to organizers.
See also Brain Drain from Iran
In conclusion, recent graduation photos taken abroad are described by social researchers as visual evidence of a broader national trend. They reflect a country losing significant portions of its youth population, along with their aspirations and professional potential. Observers state that if current conditions continue, more such images are likely to appear—and fewer young people may remain inside Iran to represent the future of the country.