Algeria’s Tech Diaspora Network: How Engineers Abroad Are Connecting Back

The Scale of Algeria’s Engineering Brain Drain

The numbers are staggering, even by regional standards. An estimated 500,000 highly trained Algerians have emigrated over the past several decades, with tens of thousands working specifically in engineering and technology roles. The primary destinations are well established: France hosts the largest concentration, with the 2021 French census recording 892,000 Algerian-born residents overall and an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 executives and entrepreneurs of Algerian origin across France and Europe, according to Fateh Ouazzani, president of Reage (the Network of Algerians Graduated from French Prestigious Schools and Universities). Canada is home to approximately 73,775 Algerians per its 2021 census, with roughly 60,000 concentrated in Quebec. Significant communities also exist in the United States, the United Kingdom, the UAE, and Germany.

The talent represented is extraordinary. Algerian engineers hold senior positions at leading technology companies across Silicon Valley, Paris, London, and the Gulf. Around 800 Algerians work in major technology companies in Silicon Valley alone, many in research and development roles. Several have founded venture-backed startups in the US, France, and Canada. Over 80 percent of the Algerian diaspora in North America consists of highly educated individuals, many with advanced degrees from top-tier institutions. By any reasonable measure, Algeria’s engineering diaspora represents one of the country’s most valuable and most underutilized assets.

The brain drain has accelerated in recent years. France’s immigration data shows Algeria consistently ranks as the second-largest source of first-time residence permits, with 29,270 issued in 2024 alone. Canada’s Express Entry Year-End Report for 2024 shows Algeria rose from tenth to seventh place among countries receiving invitations to apply for permanent residence, and it ranked third in French-language proficiency rounds. The pull factors are obvious — compensation differentials of 10x to 20x, better working conditions, and access to global-scale technical challenges. The push factors are equally clear — limited local opportunities, bureaucratic barriers to entrepreneurship, and a tech ecosystem still in its early stages. As one 2019 analysis noted, pilots, computer engineers, oil drillers, and even journalists have been heading for the airport, with nearly 15,000 Algerian doctors now working in France and around 10,000 engineers having left the state energy firm Sonatrach over the past decade.

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The Networks Taking Shape: Algeria 2.0, AAASTE, and Beyond

Despite the distance, a growing ecosystem of diaspora networks is forming. The Algeria 2.0 Summit has emerged as perhaps the most visible gathering point, positioning itself as the annual international crossroads of ICT, new technologies, and digital innovation for the Algerian tech community. The summit brings together tech professionals, entrepreneurs, and innovators across fields like AI, IoT, and blockchain, serving as a launchpad for ideas and a networking platform connecting diaspora professionals with Algeria-based entrepreneurs and policymakers.

On the formal organizational side, several structured diaspora associations have taken shape. The Algerian American Association for Science, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (AAASTE) provides mentoring and advising to Algerian students, educators, and entrepreneurs, with members developing and delivering courses, workshops, and seminars in science, technology, management, and entrepreneurship. The Algerian Sci-Tech Scholars and Competences Abroad (AS-CAP) brings together a team of multidisciplinary scientists located around the globe to connect with researchers and entrepreneurs in Algeria, providing assistance and mentorship in scientific and startup projects. Algerians Abroad, another platform, supports Algerian talent through online and in-person events, workshops, conferences, masterclasses, and mentorship programs.

On LinkedIn, several Algerian tech communities have grown into active hubs for job referrals, technical discussions, and mentorship connections. Communities like Algerian Tech Makers and Global Algerian Technology (GATECH-DZ) serve as networking platforms, while DzCode I/O — created as a successor to the earlier algeriatech community founded in 2016 — brings the community together around open-source projects. Dzair AI promotes innovation with artificial intelligence and data science by educating the community. Women-focused communities have also formed, including Women Techmakers Algiers (a Google-affiliated community) and Algerian Women in Science (ALWIS), founded in 2020, which provides one-on-one online mentoring groups spanning biology, medicine, engineering, computer science, and physics.

The informal channels are perhaps even more impactful than the formal organizations. WhatsApp and Telegram groups connecting Algerian engineers at specific companies facilitate direct referrals and knowledge sharing. Several diaspora engineers have organized tech talks beamed into Algerian universities via video conference, and a number have returned for in-person speaking engagements at events like Algeria Disrupt, which launched its first annual startup conference in October 2020, and the African Startup Conference held in Algiers. The pattern is clear: the infrastructure for diaspora engagement exists and is growing, even if it remains largely informal and volunteer-driven.

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The Four Vectors of Diaspora Engagement

Diaspora engagement with Algeria’s tech ecosystem operates along four primary vectors, each at a different level of maturity. The first is mentorship and knowledge transfer. This is the most developed channel, largely because it requires no capital, no legal framework, and no physical presence. Diaspora engineers mentor Algerian developers through global platforms like ADPList, through AAASTE’s formal programs, through AS-CAP’s scientific mentorship network, and through informal one-on-one connections. The impact is tangible — mentees report accelerated skill development, better career navigation, and expanded professional networks.

The second vector is hiring and talent pipelines. A growing number of diaspora engineers actively recruit Algerian developers for their international teams or for remote positions at their companies. This creates a multiplier effect: each Algerian developer placed in an international role gains experience, earns foreign currency, and eventually becomes a potential diaspora contributor themselves. Yassir, the super app founded in 2017 in Palo Alto by Algerian diaspora engineer Noureddine Tayebi (a Stanford PhD and former Intel executive), exemplifies this at scale. Backed by Y Combinator and having raised over $150 million in venture funding, Yassir now employs roughly 600 engineers — making it the largest tech employer in the Maghreb — with teams in Algiers, Paris, Cairo, and Dubai. The company demonstrates that the diaspora talent pipeline can work both ways.

The third vector is investment, and this is where the gap between potential and reality is widest. Despite the diaspora’s collective wealth, direct investment into Algerian tech startups remains minimal. The barriers are formidable: the US State Department’s 2025 Investment Climate Statement describes Algeria’s heavily regulated foreign exchange regime as a significant obstacle, with capital controls making it difficult to move money in and out for investment purposes. The legal framework for angel investing is underdeveloped, there is no established network of diaspora angel investors, and the trust deficit between diaspora and local entrepreneurs remains significant. A few notable exceptions exist — several Algeria-based startups have received diaspora angel funding, typically through personal connections rather than formal channels.

The fourth vector is policy influence and ecosystem building. Diaspora professionals have engaged with Algerian government initiatives, including consultations around the startup regulatory framework that began with Finance Law 2020 and the establishment of the Algerian Startup Fund (ASF), the public venture capital fund created in October 2020 in partnership with six public banks, along with the complementary Algeria Venture accelerator. The Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Startups, and Micro-Enterprises — established in 2020 and initially led by Yacine Mahdi Oualid — has served as a focal point for these interactions. However, this engagement remains episodic rather than systematic, and many diaspora professionals express frustration with the pace of reform and the gap between announced policies and implementation.

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Barriers and What Would Accelerate Engagement

The barriers to deeper diaspora engagement are well-documented but stubbornly persistent. Banking remains the most cited practical obstacle. Algeria’s capital controls mean that transferring money into or out of the country for investment purposes is complex, slow, and legally uncertain. The state-dominated financial system — with state-owned enterprises comprising roughly two-thirds of the economy by market value — compounds the problem. Opening and maintaining an Algerian bank account from abroad is difficult. The absence of modern digital banking infrastructure means diaspora members accustomed to fintech services find the Algerian banking experience deeply frustrating.

Visa and travel logistics present another friction point. While Algerian nationals can enter the country freely, many diaspora members who have acquired second citizenship face complex visa requirements. The practical logistics of organizing events, meetings, or extended stays for mentorship or consulting engagements are nontrivial. Trust is the subtler but perhaps more fundamental barrier. Diaspora engineers who have spent years in meritocratic, high-accountability environments often struggle to navigate Algeria’s relationship-driven business culture. Conversely, Algeria-based entrepreneurs sometimes perceive diaspora engagement as patronizing or disconnected from local realities.

What would accelerate engagement? The diaspora community consistently identifies several priorities. First, a dedicated diaspora investment vehicle — a fund or legal structure that allows diaspora members to co-invest in Algerian startups with appropriate protections. Morocco’s MDM Invest program, which provides a 10 percent state subsidy on startup costs (capped at 5 million MAD) alongside bank financing of up to 65 percent for diaspora investors who contribute at least 25 percent equity, is frequently cited as a model worth adapting. Second, simplified banking for non-resident Algerians, including the ability to open and manage accounts remotely. Third, a formal diaspora skills registry that matches the specific expertise available in the diaspora with the needs of Algerian companies and institutions. Fourth, regular, well-organized diaspora engagement events — not one-off conferences but sustained programs with clear objectives and accountability. The potential is enormous. The question is whether the institutional will exists to unlock it.

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Sources & Further Reading

• Algerian Diaspora — Wikipedia
• Algerian Canadians — Wikipedia (2021 Census Data)
• OECD International Migration Outlook 2024 — France Chapter
• Canada Express Entry Year-End Report 2024
• US State Department 2025 Investment Climate Statement — Algeria
• Yassir — About Us
• Yassir $150M Fundraise — TechCrunch
• Morocco MDM Invest Program — Global Forum on Migration and Development
• Algeria Startup Fund (ASF)
• Algeria Venture Overview — Startup Algeria
• Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Startups and Micro-Enterprises — Startup Algeria
• AAASTE — Algerian American Association for Science, Technology, and Entrepreneurship
• Algerian Sci-Tech Scholars and Competences Abroad (AS-CAP)
• Algeria 2.0 Summit
• Algeria Disrupt — Annual Startup Conference
• VOA — Algerian Brain Drain Pre-Election Headache
• CREAD — Centre de Recherche en Economie Appliquee pour le Developpement