Foreign Workers on the Rise in Israel: Analysis of Ministry of Internal Affairs Data and Government Efforts to Attract Talent

The Ministry of Internal Affairs recently released data on the influx of foreign workers to Israel following the outbreak of the War of Iron Swords and Black Saturday in October 2021. The report covers a six-month period and highlights the significant changes that occurred in the use of Palestinian workers prior to the war.

Since then, Israel has signed agreements with 14 countries to bring in foreign workers, and this number has grown from 147,829 legal foreign workers to 149,613. To attract more talent, the government organized ten delegations that traveled to various countries, including Sri Lanka, Moldova, India, and Cambodia.

In April 2022, it is expected that around 2,500 foreign workers will arrive in Israel to work in the construction industry. Despite some challenges and opposition from local labor unions, Israel’s efforts to attract foreign workers have shown some success as more legal foreigners continue to live and work in the country.