Working visa in Israel

Working visa in Israel – working in Israel can be highly attractive for many foreign workers – and on the flip side, the Israeli economy also needs foreign workers, and relies on significant percentages thereof in several areas of employment. By Israeli law, any foreign national who comes to work in Israel must have a valid work visa should they wish to work in Israel legally. In addition, any Israeli employer who seeks to employ foreign workers must hold a permit to employ foreign workers.

The foreign worker must have their work visa issued in their home country, before they arrive in Israel. Usually, Working visa in Israel will only be valid for one year, following which the worker would be required to file an application with the Ministry of the Interior to have their visa extended, while they are in Israel.

Working visa in Israel – Types of work visas

Caregiving visa: A worker with a caregiving visa will provide care for an infirm or disabled person at their home. This visa has special characteristics and, among other things, requires the worker to live at the patient’s home.  The worker’s roles include providing assistance in the most fundamental activities of daily living such as dressing, feeding, showering etc., but it does not permit the foreign worker to be issued additional tasks pertaining to cleaning for the rest of the family etc.

This visa is unique as it can be extended beyond the maximum of 63 months, by filing an application for a humanitarian stay permit – or, in situations where the foreign worker commenced their work for a patient before the term of their work in Israel has ended, they may stay with the same patient so long as they are acting as said patient’s caregiver.

This visa requires registration in a private bureau for mediation and placement of foreign workers.

Construction visa: A worker with this type of visa will work in Israeli construction corporations or Chinese construction companies that arrive in Israel with all their employees for the purpose of constructing various projects in Israel. This visa is limited to 63 months only, and cannot be extended beyond that point. There are specific origin countries which construction workers may come from – however, in periods where there is a shortage of workforce, the government may approve bringing in workers from additional countries.

Agriculture visa: A worker with this type of visa will arrive to work in the agricultural sector in Israel, and will stay here for 63 months only.

Working visa in Israel – Other sectors

Other sectors where foreign workers may be employed are: hospitality, restaurants, and industry.

Expert visa:  By means of this visa, an expert with a particular expertise may work in Israel, in a company that requires the special knowledge which they hold. This visa is individual and the applicant company must clarify why it needs the worker that it requested. An expert visa includes terms and conditions, including ones regarding the expert’s wages and protecting their rights, among other things.

Additional visas permitting work in Israel

There are other types of working visa in Israel for foreign nationals who may work in Israel, even if they did not come to Israel for work to begin with. Thus, for example, foreign partners of Israeli citizens may work in Israel in any field of their choosing, so long as their visa is valid.

Additionally, asylum seekers whose request is under review, or those whose request was accepted, may work in any job they choose, so long as it is not restricted by their visa.

Workers’ rights

In principle, foreign workers are entitled to the same rights as any Israeli worker, even if their stay in Israel is illegal. However, there are many exceptions to this rule – a foreign worker in Israel is entitled to the minimum wage, at least, but workers whom are provided accommodations by their employers may have certain sums deducted for the provision of such accommodations.

Foreign experts, on the other hand, are entitled to twice the national average wage as their base wage, and workers in the construction industry are eligible for a construction industry rate wage per their seniority – however, their position appointment percentage is far greater than full-time as this term is defined in the law, and so is their overtime pay.

In addition to the abovesaid, all workers are entitled to full social rights, as well as national insurance and income tax payments.

For some workers, an employer must purchase medical insurance coverage at their own expense. It is also important to know that many sectors have expansion orders in place that expand the rights to which foreign workers are entitled, and that they always have the right to turn to labor courts.

In conclusion

Working in Israel is possible for foreign workers in a variety of areas, varying in accordance with the nation’s needs. However, a specific worker may also obtain a work visa, independently of the nation’s needs, when said worker is currently in the process of a Regularization of Status procedure.

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