Israel Increases Foreign Worker Quota

The Israeli Government, on May 15, 2024, approved a proposal to improve efficiency in the system for bringing foreign workers by easing regulations and allocating significant resources for safeguarding foreign workers’ rights.

The following measures are intended to address the worker shortage across Israel’s economy and to strengthen economic stability.

  1. Increase the number of foreign workers able to enter Israel up to a ceiling of 3.3% relative to the population of the country (over 300,000 foreign workers).
  2. Reinforce staffing and resources for the enforcement units at the Labor Ministry, the Justice Ministry and the Population and Immigration Authority.
  3. Amend the regulations in the Knesset, Israel’s legislature, to require a deposit payment (pensions for foreign workers) in all employment sectors in the economy.
  4. Significantly reduce fees paid by employers for permits to employ foreign workers.

Other measures include efforts to increase competition between foreign personnel agencies in the construction section, permitting foreign workers in the construction sector without practical tests in their country of origin with a declaration from the employer and the establishment of a committee of directors general to set the quota of workers to be allocated to each sector, the minimum salary in the various sectors, the system for bringing foreign workers, etc. The committee will also receive reports on enforcement and oversight actions.

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Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.