Work Visa for Foreign Industrial Workers

11Work Visa for Foreign Industrial Workers

Good News for Employers in the Industrial Sector: In May 2021, the Ministry of Economy and Industry published an experimental procedure allowing, for the first time, the employment of skilled foreign workers in Israeli industry without employers needing to meet stringent threshold conditions, as had been the practice until now. The procedure allocates a limited number of quotas, updated periodically, and pertains to four groups of professions: industrial and production engineers and mechanical engineers; technicians, mechanics, and similar professionals; clerks and machine operators, including welders, locksmiths, and lathe operators; and workers in exceptional professions.

This is a significant change and a real breakthrough for Israeli industrialists. Until now, employers wishing to hire “regular” foreign workers had to submit an application through the foreign experts’ procedure and meet stringent threshold conditions, which often resulted in rejections for various reasons. It was nearly impossible to obtain work permits for professionals in these fields. Even if a permit was granted, employers had to comply with very stringent requirements. They were required to pay the employee a salary of no less than twice the average wage in the economy (200%). However, under the current procedure, the employer is required to pay a lower salary, with each profession having a different minimum salary derived from the average wage for a senior position (currently standing at 12,379 NIS).

In the past, employers whose applications for foreign experts were approved had to meet additional stringent requirements, such as a 40,000 NIS deposit for each worker, obtaining verified documents from abroad, presenting employment contracts approved by an Israeli lawyer, and more. These requirements made it very difficult to employ foreign experts and severely impacted the ability to meet rigid project timelines, sometimes even jeopardizing the project. Unlike the previous procedure for employing foreign experts, the current one does not require the presentation of an academic certificate; the professional experience and training of the skilled worker are sufficient for obtaining a work permit, subject to the company’s professional need for employing the foreign worker.

The process of obtaining a work permit in the industrial sector includes four steps:

1. Receiving a recommendation from the Ministry of Economy.
2. Submitting a work permit application.
3. Consular processing abroad carry out by the foreign worker.
4. Issuance of a visa and work permit by the Population and Immigration Authority.

Recently, the range of countries from which foreign workers can be invited has expanded, and the procedure now allows the invitation of foreign workers from any country, subject to the approval of the Population and Immigration Authority and compliance with additional conditions. The latest update, published on September 17, 2024, stipulates that as long as no bilateral agreement is signed, foreign workers from countries ranked in Tier 1 and Tier 2 in the U.S. Department of State’s annual report on human trafficking can be invited, subject to the following conditions:

• The employer must declare that the foreign worker has received information in their native language about the Population and Immigration Authority’s hotline and their rights in Israel, that their recruitment complied with the law, and that the employer covered all costs and no brokerage fees were charged.
• The Director of the Population and Immigration Authority may require a bank guarantee to ensure the worker’s rights.
• In general, the Population and Immigration Authority approves workers from Tier 1 countries and several other countries, including Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, India, Latvia, the Philippines, Moldova, Sri Lanka, Romania, and Thailand. Employers wishing to invite workers from other countries must provide special justifications for their request.

It is important to note that one month after the entry into force of a bilateral agreement or the implementation of an existing one, private recruitment will cease, and permit holders will only be able to bring workers under the bilateral agreements.

The permit issued will be valid for one year and can be extended subject to government quotas and the regulations of the authority, up to a total period of 63 months. This procedure also allows employers to convert an employment permit from the experts’ sector to the industrial sector and transfer workers between employers, subject to a recommendation from the Ministry of Economy and compliance with the procedure’s conditions.

The Ministry of Economy publishes deadlines for submitting applications for permit allocation and other important updates, so it is advisable to stay updated with our office.

What is the required salary?

• Group A – Technicians and Technologists: At least 130% of the average wage.
• Group B – Skilled Workers: At least 110% of the average wage.
• Group C – Machine Operators: At least 85% of the average wage.
• Group D – Unskilled Workers: At least 50% of the average wage.

According to the procedure, the number of foreign workers for whom a recommendation can be received must not exceed 25% of the number of Israeli workers employed by the employer. An employer who employed Palestinian workers as of September 30, 2023, may receive an allocation based on the number of Palestinians employed by them. An exceptional employer not classified in the industrial sector but with significant industrial production activities may receive up to 10% of the number of Israeli workers they employ, provided they employ at least 20 Israeli workers.

Which countries can foreign workers be brought from?

Tier 1
Austria, Australia, Italy, Ireland, Iceland, the United States, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, France, the Czech Republic, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland.

Foreign workers from Tier 1 countries will be approved quickly.

Tier 2
Ukraine, Andorra, Argentina, Uruguay, United Arab Emirates, Estonia, Indonesia, Ecuador, Bahamas, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Guyana, South Africa, South Korea, the Dominican Republic, the Russian Federation, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Hungary, Vanuatu, Turkey, Israel, Greece, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Egypt, Nepal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, China, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Fiji, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Chile, Colombia, Kazakhstan, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Qatar, Romania, and Thailand.

Foreign workers from Tier 2 countries will need special approval from the Population and Immigration Authority.

It was also published that the Population and Immigration Authority will approve bringing foreign workers from the following countries through an expedited process, as long as no bilateral agreement exists with them: Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, India, Latvia, the Philippines, Moldova, Sri Lanka, Romania, and Thailand.

Our office has over 16 years of experience assisting employers with foreign workers in the industrial and expert sectors, serving a wide range of clients. For further information, contact our office.