Work Visa for a Foreign Worker in Israel
Employing a foreign national in Israel requires a B1 visa. This guide sets out the available routes, from the fast track for a two-week project to a one-year expert visa, the employer's obligations under each, and the procedure from filing the application to the sticker in the passport.
The B1 visa
The B1 work visa is the legal basis for employing a foreign national in Israel. It is not a recommendation but a requirement, applying to every foreign worker without exception.
The classification is uniform, but the conditions of the visa and its duration follow three variables: the worker's level of expertise, the intended length of stay, and the employment sector. The differences between hi-tech, caregiving, agriculture and construction are substantial.
Employing a foreign worker without a valid B1 visa is a criminal offence, not an administrative lapse. The exposure falls on the employer, alongside the consequences for the worker's own status.
Short routes: SEA and STEP
Short Employment Authorisation (SEA), up to 90 days. An accelerated route for experts coming for a short project. Issue takes up to 10 working days, entry to Israel is possible within 48 hours of receiving the visa, and work may begin immediately on arrival. The route is aimed mainly at nationals of countries with reciprocal entry arrangements with Israel.
STEP, the Short Term Employment Program, up to 90 days. A dedicated programme for experts for short periods. Issue takes 6 to 8 weeks, a period reflecting more thorough checks.
On both routes the worker is employed solely by the company that filed the application.
On STEP a bank guarantee of ILS 20,000 is required in certain cases for workers without an academic degree.
One-year expert visas
Academic expert. For those with higher academic education brought in to lead a project. Valid for up to a year, issued in 6 to 8 weeks.
Non-academic expert. The same route for those with substantial professional experience but no degree. Issue is identical, 6 to 8 weeks. In certain cases a bank guarantee of ILS 40,000 is required.
On both routes the employer must provide comprehensive medical insurance, and employment is limited to the company that filed the application.
The salary threshold on the expert routes is defined as twice the average wage in Israel. Since the average wage is updated, so is the threshold. The exact figure should be checked with the Population and Immigration Authority at the time of filing.
The hi-tech company route
Hi-tech companies have an accelerated route for issuing one-year visas to foreign experts. Issue takes only ten working days.
Threshold conditions for the company: registration with the Innovation Authority, and meeting the requirements on the proportion of staff engaged in research and development.
Employment conditions: a salary of twice the average wage in Israel, and comprehensive medical insurance.
The route also includes an arrangement for the experts' spouses.
The application procedure
- The employer applies. The employer approaches the relevant permits unit and files an application to employ a foreign worker.
- The employment permit. Once the application is approved, the worker applies for a B1 entry visa at the Ministry of the Interior.
- Issue of the visa. The worker collects the visa at the Israeli consulate in the country of origin, or obtains it on arrival in Israel, depending on the route.
- The visa sticker. After entry a B1 sticker is issued, allowing multiple entries to Israel.
The length of the procedure varies with the type of role, the intended length of stay and other conditions.
The employer's obligations
On every route, the accelerated ones included, the employer carries the full obligations of Israeli labour law:
- Pay. Not less than the minimum wage, and on the expert routes at the higher threshold set for them.
- Medical insurance. Comprehensive cover for the whole period of employment.
- Accommodation. In certain sectors there is a duty to provide suitable accommodation.
- Social rights. Pension, severance pay and recuperation pay, as applicable.
- Exclusivity. The worker is employed only by the company that filed the application.
The speed of a route does not reduce the obligations. An accelerated route shortens the bureaucracy, not the labour law.
The legal framework
The employment of foreign workers in Israel is governed by three principal enactments:
- Entry into Israel Law, 5712-1952
- Entry into Israel Regulations, 5734-1974
- Foreign Workers Law, 5751-1991
These define the conditions of employment, the powers of the authorities, and the sanctions for breach. A breach may lead to the removal of the worker from Israel and to sanctions against the employer. See our page on deportation of foreign workers.
In summary
The choice of route turns mainly on three questions: how long the worker is to stay, whether he qualifies as an expert, and whether the employing company meets the conditions of the hi-tech route. The answers determine both the issuing time, which ranges from ten working days to eight weeks, and the threshold conditions.
For advice on work visas for foreign workers, contact us by phone at 02-5953322 or on WhatsApp at 050-441-1343.
What people ask most often
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