Israel: Additional Countries Added to Pre-Approved Industrial Company Migration Scheme

As a temporary measure, pre-approved companies recognized as “industrial companies” by the Ministry of Economy can now recruit semi-professional (non-expert), skilled or unskilled foreign employees from Azerbaijan, Georgia, India, Latvia, Moldova, Romania, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Philippines, and Uzbekistan. Previously, employers could not obtain work permits for such foreign nationals. Potential applicants must enter Israel on or before September 6, 2024. Additionally, Israel has approved a further 970 quota spots for pre-approved industrial companies. Employers that do not yet have pre-approval can submit an application by July 14, 2024. These measures are temporary and will be revoked once bilateral agreements are reached between Israel and each of the respective countries. Under this scheme, employers may be required to deposit a bank guarantee for each foreign worker (depending on their role and profession), and Israeli authorities may revoke work and residence rights for foreign employees who were found to have paid broker fees. The new measure will make it easier to hire foreign nationals to fill labor gaps in the country.