The OECD Expert Group on Migration
SOPEMI
Annual Report
International Migration - Israel
2016-2017
Dr. Gilad Nathan
The Institute for Immigration and Social Integration
Ruppin Academic Center
September 2017
1. Introduction
In Israel there are four main categories of migrants, of which only the first category
consists of permanent migrants, except of the migrants there are also daily workers
from the Palestinian authority and the kingdom of Jordan:
Migrants who are Jewish or of Jewish extraction, who immigrate to Israel under
the Law of Return. This group also includes former residents of Israel who return
after an extended stay abroad (returning residents, after at least five years'
residence abroad).
Temporary migrant workers (foreign workers) who enter Israel legally under a
work permit.
Illegal work migrants (foreigners who enter legally for purposes other than work,
and remain in the country after their period of legal residence has ended).
Mixed Migration, Infiltrators, Asylum Seekers and groups of people under
protection (including 2 main groups: African subjects and former USSR citizen).
Palestinian and Jordanian daily workers.
Data
Between January and July (01/01/17-30/06/17) 2017, 11,500 permanent
immigrants entered Israel, slightly more than in 2016 (11,000) and less in
comparison to the same period in 2015 (13,160). The number of immigrants (same
period) stood at a monthly average of 1,916.6 higher than the average of 1,833 in
2015. 67% of the immigrants were from 3 countries: The Russian Federation,
Ukraine and France.
As of June 30 2017, the total population of foreign nationals living in Israel was
216,739 (June 2016: 217,200). The trend of slight decline continued. The
population of African under group protection is in a process of decline, among the
workers without permits there is a significant decline and the number of TMW
continues to increase. It should be noted that when adding the group of Asylum
Seekers entering Israel with visa there is an increase in the number of foreign
nationals.
As of June 30, 2017, the population of foreign nationals who entered Israel under
a work permit (TMW-temporary migrant workers) stood at 104,199 (June 2016:
96,724), of which 85,932 (June 2016: 81,438) were legal entrants who have a
regulated status and 18,267 (June 2016: 15,284) were legal entrants whose status
is currently unregulated. The stability in the number of TMW who have lost their
status changed to a significant increase and the substantial growth in the number
of TMW is a continuance tendency since 2013 in comparison to the years before.
As of June 2017 the quotas for Palestinian Daily workers were 77,300 (June
2016: 56,980), the utilization was a bit lower mainly due to the new changes in the
quotas. In the first quarter of the year 52,423 (42,481) Palestinian workers are
employed in construction, 10,232 (11,833) in agriculture and 2,129 (2,160) in
industry. In addition, 4,331 (4,292) Palestinian residents of the West Bank hold a
permit to work in East Jerusalem. The trend of growth in the quotas continues, but
after a trend of increasing the utilization of the quotas is stable.
In Israel there is a population of foreigners who entered the country legally on a
tourist visa and have remained illegally after their visa expired; at the end of 2016
this population was estimated in 74,000, another decline as in recent years.
At the end of June 2017 Israel had a population of 38,540 (June 2016: 41,477)
African subjects who infiltrated Israel in previous years. Between January and
July 2016 there were no (June 2015: 18) new entrances through the border with
Egypt. Since the record number of illegal migrant and asylum seekers in the end
of 2012, the continuity in this trend is a significant decrease in the scope of this
population and new infiltration through the borders.
Since 2015 there is a significant growth in the number of Asylum Seekers who
enter Israel not as Infiltrators but with a tourist visa. Most of them come from
former USSR states and instantly "integrate" into the labor market, while awaiting
an answer on their asylum requests. The prevailing assumption of both Executive
Authority and civil rights organization is that most of these asylum seekers are
work immigrants.
Main policy developments and tendency changes in 2016-2017
The growth trend in the number of permanent immigrants stopped in 2016, after 3
years of growth there was a decline from the record of 2015 in the first half of 2016.
In the first half of 2017 the number of migrants was higher than in the first half of
2016 but still lower than in the years 2014-2015. Since the number of permanent
migrants in second half of the year is traditionally higher, it is too soon to conclude
about a change of trend. Immigrants from The Russian Federation and the Ukraine
proportion increased significantly while the migration from France is in decline.
During 2016, a resolution was passed for a quota of 1,300 people in the years 2016
and 2017 to enter for family unification by members of the Falash Mura with their
family members in Israel; this decision would increase the number of immigrants
from Ethiopia for the first time in recent years.
Since the end of 2013 the Israeli Government has made several resolutions
(Government Decisions) regarding the expansion of foreign worker quotas in the
fields of construction and agriculture, and regarding the renewal of the foreign worker
quota in the field of tourism. Simultaneously, there has been a trend of increasing
numbers of workers in the nursing care field. It can be determined that, since 2013
there is a trend of growth in the quotas and numbers of temporary migrant workers.
After a decade 2003-2013 the new government's policy is to increase the number of
foreign workers, and not reduce it.
Parallel to the increase in the number of TMW the state continue to reduce the
employer's levy for the employment of TMW. In 2010 it was set on 20% on all the
TMW except of employers in the home care sector. As of 2016, the employers in the
agriculture sector are not paying any more. And in all the other sectors the levy is
only 15% for the employment of legal TMW. The incentive to employ a TMW is
higher than in the years 2003-2013. On 2017 the government allowed a new quota of
High-Tec TMW and a new increase in the number of construction and hotel workers.
There is a growing pressure from the side of employers to add new quotas of foreign
workers. If traditionally most of the TMW were law skilled worker, there is a growing
pressure to allow quotas of high skilled workers that will be exempt from paying the
wages of Specialists and skilled workers with experts working visa. There is also a
demand to let TMW work in sectors in which TMW were not allowed to work, as in
Infrastructure projects. Recently employers in construction demand that they will be
allowed to use TMW not only in housing projects but also in infrastructure projects
and demand also additional TMW for infrastructure.
Over the past few years several bilateral agreements have been signed between the
State of Israel and other countries regarding regulation of the import of foreign
workers to Israel. This trend has continued during 2016-2017 as well. In addition to
the agreements signed so far, this regulated the import of workers in the fields of
construction and agriculture. On June 2016 a new agreement was signed with the
Ukraine, not for only one branch of employment but for several different groups of
qualified workers in different branches. On January 2017 a new bilateral agreement in
the field of constriction was signed with China.
In parallel with the new bilateral agreements in the field of construction the
government selected six companies of one thousand workers each to work in the
sector of building and infrastructure. The existing model of the Turkish company,
Yilmezlar, which has been working in Israel for several years, raises serious concerns
about employment under unsuitable conditions.
The Israeli Government promoted, by means of amendments, the regulation of the
employment of migrant workers in the field of nursing care. This was mainly
implemented through the toughening of limitations imposed upon workers in this
field, as well as through regulation of the status of workers who had lost their own.
Furthermore, only one bilateral agreement for a pilot program (not more than 200
workers) has been signed in this field, in which the absolute majority of foreign
workers in Israel are employed. There is evidence for another increase in the illegal
fees being payed by TMW in home care and there is evidence for long lasting abuse
phenomenon of TMW both domestic and labor.
Throughout the years 2016-2017, trends from previous years regarding Palestinian
workers (per diem workers) in Israel have continued. The number of permits given to
Palestinian workers has continued to grow, the total number of Palestinian workers
continued to grow, yet for the first time in recent years, in the first half of 2017, there
was no change in the rate of permits being utilized.
Since the second half of 2012, entrance by infiltrators and asylum seekers has nearly
stopped completely. In January 2016 a new amendment for the Infiltration Law
(1954) was legislated. This amendment regulated the detention of all new infiltrators
to Israel in a closed facility for the duration of one year, as well as the detention of
those eligible for group protection in an open facility for no longer than 12 months.
The new amendment replaced the one from December 2014 after the high court
changed the time frame to no longer than 12 months in August 2015. Throughout
2016-2017 the trend of departure from Israel by those eligible for group protection
has continued, yet more and more depart Israel not for a third safe state that is being
offered to them by the Immigration Authority or to go back to the origin countries but
are being resettled as Asylum Seekers by the UNHCR. It should be noted that
although the recognition of the major group of infiltrators as under non-refoulement
status, the Israeli government seeks to minimize the population of eligible to
temporary non-refoulement in Israel.
The major mean used by the government to encourage members of the non-
refoulement population to departure from Israel is the voluntary departure program. It
should be noted that there is controversy as to whether this departure, which is mainly
undertaken by those who are in detention facilities or custodial facilities or who were
summoned to such facilities, is actually a voluntary departure. There is also
controversy regarding the definition “open facility” as opposed to “detention facility”.
On August 2017 the high court ruled that an infiltrator that refuses to be willingly
deported to a third country will not be held in custody for more than 60 days.
In the past it was accepted that foreign workers would enjoy protection before the law
equal to that of Israeli workers. In recent years, there have been considerable changes
in this, reaching a peak in 2016/2017. In the wake of the 2009 decision of the High
Court of Justice that made an exception for nursing care workers with regard to the
law on hours of work and rest, the National Labor Court decided, in 2016, that in
addition to non-payment of overtime for nursing care workers, their day of rest would
not consist of 36 hours but of 25 weekly hours only. Furthermore, the deposits of
deductions towards pensions that foreign workers in Israel are supposed to get are not
fully implemented and for most temporary migrant workers in Israel, a considerable
proportion of the nursing care and agricultural workers, deductions are not deposited
as required by law. In 2017 the deduction that employers in agriculture can deduct
from the TMW were raised the deposit that should include the legal payment for
pension and other rights was not yet confirmed.
With regard to Palestinian workers, the same trend is evident. In August 2016, the
Ministry of Finance proposed that the amount of the automatic credit for income tax
would be reduced from 2.25 to only 1.25 points. At the same time, at the beginning of
the month the Ministry of Justice published a regulation restricting the ability of a
person who is not a resident from suing his employers in the labor court by imposing
a security deposit as a guarantee when a claim is filed against an employer.
Palestinian workers in Israel although entitled to the same rights as Israeli workers
have difficulties in realization of their rights for sick days, social security work
accident insurance and pension.
With regard to the third main group of non-Israelis working in Israel, those who are
entitled to temporary non-deportation and asylum seekers, there has clearly been
deterioration in the legislation and regulations. While the 16% deposit for TMW was
not yet applied on most TMW, those who are entitled to temporary non-deportation
must deposit in the deposit 36% (20% of the employee and 16% from the employer).
Most of the population entitled to temporary non-deportation status, Eritreans and
Sudanese, would not be able to sue their employers in the court system without
making a security deposit. All of these matters are indicative of a trend of making the
legislation and regulation stiffer towards non-Israelis working in Israel. At the same
time, the number of temporary migrant workers and Palestinian workers in Israel has
grown. Since 2004, the proportion of non-Israeli salaried workers in Israel has
increased from 2.7% to 5.3% in 2016.
In recent years, the number of foreign workers and their proportion relative to all
workers in Israel has been increasing; at the same time the disparities between the
rights and wages of Israeli workers and those of the foreign workers has grown due to
the increase in the deductions from their ages and the avoidance of regularizing the
allowances required by law for pension and labor conditions. This fact, together with
the low unemployment and the increasing shortage of local workers with certain
skills, contributes to an increase in the demand on the part of employer pressure
groups for non-Israeli workers. There has been a notable lack of efficiency on the side
of administrative and criminal enforcement bodies in protecting the rights of non-
Israeli workers that contributes to their rights not being enforced, to their exploitation
and to the phenomenon of illegal employment and even cases of employment in
conditions of slavery.
In tandem with the increase in offenses against immigrants connected with their
exploitation in jobs and in households, there has been a notable increase in cases of
human trafficking for prostitution. The absence of a police unit dedicated to dealing
with offenses against foreigners including trafficking and employment exploitation
and enslavement (the dedicated unit was closed in 2011) contributes significantly to a
lack of effective enforcement and the concomitant increase in this phenomenon. There
is much criticism about police treatment, about the lack of investigations and about
the absence of an address for foreigners' complaints about offenses against them,
among which are human trafficking offenses.
The assumption of the Ministry of Internal Security since 2011, that even without a
response unit it is possible to deal with the phenomenon of offenses against the
foreigners, has not proven itself and today, not only among civil society organizations
but also among government ministries there is an awareness that there is a need to
change the way the police deals with this matter. There are many testimonies about
women who have been arrested and deported without the appropriate questioning
which would have proven that they were victims of trafficking.
Index
Introduction………………………………………………………………..……P. 2-9
1. Permanent Migrants …………………………………………………...….P. 10-26
2. Temporary Migrant Workers and Daily Jordanian workers…………..P. 27-62
3. Palestinian Daily Workers………………………………………...…........P. 63-76
4. Foreign Who Entered Israel with tourist permit and haven't left….…..P. 77-80
5. Asylum Seekers and Mixed Migration………………………………….P. 81-111
6. Victims of Human Trafficking…………………………………………P. 112-118
7. International Students in Israel…….…………………………………..P. 119-122
8. Emigration from Israel…………………………………………………P. 123-128
9. Statistical Appendix…………………………..…………………………P. 129-141
1. Permanent Migrants
Immigrants to Israel (Olim and Citizen Migrants),
Returning Residents and Family Reunification
Permanent immigration to Israel is limited to two main categories, the first one is of
those who are entitled to Israeli citizenship or have citizenship but no residency:
The "Olim"(Permanent Migrants), are Jews or people of Jewish descent, under the
Law of Return (which establishes the right of every Jew to immigrate to Israel), and to
first-degree relatives of residents and citizens of the State of Israel. Thus, permanent
immigrants to Israel are mainly Jews and their descendants. Only this group is eligible
for permanent status and government assistance in the absorption process.1
Returning Residents are Israeli citizen who had no residency in Israel for a period of
2 years at least (in some cases 5 years).2
Citizen Migrant is decedent of Israeli citizen abroad and migrant to Israel.
The second main category is the Family Reunification, mainly marriage between
Israeli citizen and resident and a spouse who has no citizenship or residence in Israel.
1.1 Data on permanent immigrants3
2016
In2016 26,900 (2014: 26,627, 2015: 31,013) people immigrated to Israel (excluding
returning citizens and residents), 4,113 less than in 2015, a decrease of 13.1% over the
previous year. The rate of immigration per 1,000 residents was 3 (2015: 3.3, 2014:
3.0) (lower than the rate in the 1980s, which stood at 3.8 immigrants per 1,000
residents, and in the period 1991-2001, which stood at 17 immigrants per 1,000
residents, but higher the rate of every year since 2011, which stood on 2.1-2.2).
1 Although there are integration programs for non-immigrants, For example, specialist foreign workers
are granted recognition based on professional qualifications; also, those granted refugee status by Israel
under the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees have a right of integration, and
foreign minors are entitled to education and health services. 2 http://www.moia.gov.il/English/ReturningResidents/Pages/Whois2.aspx
3 Source of data on permanent immigration to Israel – Central Bureau of Statistics website,
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201721156 and Ministry of
Immigrant Absorption website,
http://www.moia.gov.il/Hebrew/InformationAndAdvertising/Statistics/Pages/default.aspx
Table 1: Total Number of "Olim"4
Year Number of Olim Increase/Decrease
2008 15,875 -
2009 16,738 +5.4%
2010 16,633 -0.7%
2011 19,020 +14%
2012 18,511 -2%
2013 19,558 +5.7%
2014 26,627 +36.1%
2015 31,013 +16.5%
2016 26,900 -13.1%
The Total Number of Olim is in decline for the first time since 2012. The total
number is a bit higher than in 2014 and substantially higher than in the years before
2014, and yet the growth trend of the years 2014-2015 changed.
Table 2: Total number of "Citizen Migrants"5
Year Number of Citizen
Migrants
Increase/Decrease
2014 4,860 -
2015 6,461 +34.5%
2016 4,200 -35%
The number of Citizen Migrants is also in decline after a substantial growth in 2015.
Table 3: Main Immigration Countries 2015-2016
Country Number of
immigrants
Country Number of
immigrants
2015 France 7,469 2016 Russia 7,099
2015 Ukraine 7,170 2016 Ukraine 5,928
2015 Russia 6,716 2016 France 4,676
2015 USA 3,068 2016 USA 2,933
2015 UK 689 2016 Belarus 651
2015 India 527 2016 Brazil 630
2015 Brazil 463 2016 UK 544
2015 Canada 452 2016 Canada 357
2015 Italy 361 2016 Argentina 276
4 Every year there is a slight difference between the total number of permanent migrants in the
ministry of Immigration Absorption and the central bureau of statistic. 5 In Hebrew: http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201721156
2015 Belarus 330 2016 South
Africa
263
2015 Argentina 305 2016 Belgium 218
2015 Belgium 287 2016 Italy 203
2015 Uzbekistan 242 2016 Uzbekistan 202
2015 South
Africa
231 2016 Moldova 192
2015 Moldova 189 2016 Georgia 174
The number of Immigrants was in decline in most of the 15 main source countries.
Even in the one new country entering the list this year the numbers weren’t higher
than in 2015. The list of the 4 main source countries (More than 1,000 Migrants)
include the same countries but in different places.
For the first time since 2013 there is a substantial decline in the share and number of
migrants from France. In 2013 the share of immigrants from France increased in 70%
from 1923 in 2012 to 3,263, in 2014 the number of immigrants from France more
than dabbled itself from 3,263 to 6,658 (102%). The trend continued in 2015 although
the raise was lower, only 811 (12.2%) more immigrants. France lost the first place in
the list to Russia and is now only in the third place.
The Share of immigrants from Russia didn’t change much although the rise of more
than 2000 people between 2014 (4,687) and 2015 (6,716). In 2015, with a rise of
2,043 in the total number of immigrants, Russia stayed in the third place of the list.
India is not in the main 15 countries in 2016; Georgia is back in the list.
In 2016 57% (2015: 48.9% 2014: 44.5%) percent of immigrants came from the
former Soviet Union 14,730 immigrants. The trend changed almost from year to year
in the recent years since 2013 is back to growth in the share and a decline in the total
numbers. Ukraine and Russia led in this group, with 88.5% (2015: 92%) of all
immigrants from the former Soviet Union. 17.4% came from France (share and total
number in decline) and 11%% of immigrants arrived from the United States, (share
growth total number decline).
In 2016 78.4% (21,102) of the immigrants came from Europe. This is a slight
decrease in the share of immigrant from Europe (2014 77.1% 2015: 79.9%). 55.2%
(2014: 44.5%, 2015: 49.7%) from Eastern Europe and 23.2% (30.2%) from Western
and Northern Europe. There is a growth in the share of migrants from Eastern Europe
parallel to another decline in the share of migrants from Western Europe. 24% (2015:
31%) (6,482) came from the EU a sharp decline. In the immigration from Africa and
from the Americas there is a trend of constant decline. 17.6% (4,742) came from The
Americas (2014: 18.1%, 2015: 15.9%). 1.4% (2014: 1.8% 2015: 1.1%) came from
Africa (all came from Central East and South Africa). 0.4% (106) came from Asia
(2014: 2.2%, 2015: 1.8%). 0.6% (165) came from Oceania (2014: 0.7%, 2015: 0.5%).
0.1% are defined others.
Table 4: Permanent Immigration per Gender 2010-2016
man women
48% 52% 2010
48% 52% 2011
47% 53% 2012
47% 53% 2013
47.6% 52.4% 2014
47.8% 52.2% 2015
47.7% 52.3% 2016
The percentage of women among the immigrants in 2016 was 52.3%, slightly more
than it was in 2015 (52.2%). There is no significant change in the trend. The share of
women stays higher than the share of man, between 4 and 6 percent every year in
recent years.
Table 5: Permanent Immigration age groups (Percentage) 2010-2016
0-14 15-64 65+
2010 22.5% 68.1% 9.4%
2011 22.3% 66.9% 10.8%
2012 21.7% 67% 11.3%
2013 20.7% 67% 12.3%
2014 18.6% 66.9% 14.5%
2015 20.6% 66.2% 13.2%
2016 17.6% 68.6% 13.8%
The median age of immigrants in 2016 didn’t changed significantly, yet it can be
noted that since 2010 the share of minors aged 0-14 decline in almost 5%. The share
of migrants between 15 and 64 was higher on 2016 than in recent years but only in
0.5% in comparison to 2010 and the share of elderly 65 and above increased in 4.4%.
Among Permanent Migrants aged 15 or more 67% had an academic profession, as it
was I recent years (2014-2015).
2017 (January-July)6
Between January and July (01/01/17-30/06/17) 11,500 immigrants entered Israel, 500
more than in the same period in 2016 11,000. The number of immigrants stood at a
monthly average of 1,916.6, compared to a monthly average of 1,833.3 in 2016 (each
year between January and the end of June).
The crisis in the Ukraine, the economic situation and the fear from anti-Semitism, and
terror in France, the political situation in Turkey contributed to this trend and to the
continues trend of growth in the number and share of Olim from the Russian
Federation.
Table 6: trends in first year half immigration 2014-2017
Year Number of permanent
Migrants
Per month
2014 10,299 1,716.5
2015 13,160 2,193.3
2016 11,000 1,833.3
2017 11,500 1,916.6
The number of new permanent migrants in the first half of the year is still lower than
it was on 2015. There is an increase in the immigration from former USSR states that
is high in percentage in comparison to the immigration from western states during the
first half of the year; therefore, it is impossible to assume if the slight growth trend
will continue through the second half of the year.
Table 7: total number of Olim per month 01-06.2017
Month 1 2 3 4 5 6
1,771 1,910 2,116 1,481 2,035 2,187
6 In Hebrew:
http://www.moia.gov.il/Hebrew/InformationAndAdvertising/Statistics/Pages/ImmigrationToIsraelCurr
entYear.aspx
Table 8: 15 Main Immigration Countries 2017 (01/01-30/06)
Country Number of
immigrants
Country Number of
immigrants
Country Number of
immigrants
Russia 3,546 Brazil 346 South
Africa
152
Ukraine 2,956 Turkey 189 Australia 108
France 1,211 Ethiopia 178 Canada 100
USA 788 UK 173 Moldova 93
Belarus 426 Argentina 152 Uzbekistan 83
The main trend in the first half of 2017 is the continuance growth in immigration from
the former USSR. 67% of the immigrants in 2017 came from three countries Russia in
the first place; The Ukraine in the second and France in the third were the main source
countries. For the first time in years Turkey is in the list of main source countries,
while western European countries as Italy and Germany are not in the list.
Table 9: Main Immigration Countries (main 15) 2017 (01/01-30/06) in division
for every two months7
Total 05-06 03-04 01-02 country
3,546 1,202 1,182 1,162 Russia
2,956 1,327 842 787 Ukraine
1,211 403 378 430 France
788 288 265 225 USA
426 182 121 123 Belarus
346 70 128 148 Brazil
189 70 46 55 Turkey
178 174 - 4 Ethiopia
173 56 70 47 UK
152 31 65 56 Argentina
152 26 32 94 South Africa
108 28 25 55 Australia
100 37 33 30 Canada
93 23 30 40 Moldova
83 13 26 44 Uzbekistan
The main countries from which immigrants arrived were: Russia – 30.9%; Ukraine –
25.7%; France – 10.5%; United States – 6.8%%. Other trends that continued in 2017
are the rise in the number of immigrants from Russia and Ukraine, and the decline in
the number and percentage of immigrants from North America and West Europe. The
slight growth in recent years in the total weight of immigrants from former USSR
7 In Hebrew:
http://www.moia.gov.il/Hebrew/InformationAndAdvertising/Statistics/Pages/ImmigrationToIsraelCurr
entYear.aspx
Countries become a much significant increase in 2017, as 63.9% (in 2015: 46.4%,
2016: 60.1%) of the new permanent migrants came from former USSR countries. It
should be noted that the share of the migrants from the former USSR countries is
bigger traditionally in the first half of the year.
The percentage of women among the immigrants in January-June was 51.2% (5,889),
similar to the trend of the recent years (in2016: 50.9% 2015: 51.7% 2014: 52% and
2013: 52.5%. The median age of immigrants in the first half of 2016 changed slightly,
15.5% were between the ages 0-14 a slight decrease (2016: 15% 2015: 22.1%
2014:20.3% 2013:20.7%). 69.7% were between the ages of 15-64 (the same as in
2016: 69.7 and a slight increase from recent years, 2013: 67% and as in 2014: 64.3%,
2015: 65.5%), and 14.8%% (a slight increase from 2016: 14.3% 2015: 12.4% 2014:
15.4% and as in 2013: 12.3%) were 65 years old and up (mainly from Europe).
Returning residents
A returning resident is a person holding Israeli citizenship who has resided outside
Israel for five years (it should be noted that eligibility for certain rights is conditional
on six years' residence outside Israel, but the principal rights granted by the Ministry
of Immigrant Absorption and the National Insurance Institute are given to those
returning after five years)8. Returning residents receive certain rights that are intended
to ease the process of reabsorption in Israel. During 2002-2011, 61,709 returning
residents arrived in Israel (6,856 a year in average). Since 2011 the average is higher
between 2011 and 2015 the average was: 7,979. 2011 was a record year followed with
a sharp decline in 2012-2015 and a growth in 2016, for the first time since 2012 to
8,816.
In 2016 returned to Israel 8,816, Must of them, as in recent years, in the second half
of the year. 2017 begun with the same trend, only 1,851 (2015: 2,985, 2016: 2,117)
returning residents in the first 6 months of the year, a decline in comparison to the
2015-2016 first 5 months of the year.9 The total number of returning residents and the
yearly average in the last 5 years is still higher than in the last decade but there is a
constant decline in the numbers.
8 In Hebrew: http://www.moia.gov.il/Hebrew/ReturningResidents/PagesWhois2.aspx/.
9 Ella Saban, Dina Levy, Efrat Shebo Director of the Department for Returning Israelis at the Ministry
of Immigrant Absorption, email, August 04 2015, July 17 2016, July 16 2017.
Table 10: Returning Residents data 2011-2017
Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 01-
07.201710
Number of
Returning
Residents
9,106 8,489 7,185 7,269 7,009 8,816 1,851
Table 11: 12 Main Returning Residents Countries 2012 January-June 2017
Country 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 01-
07.2017
Total
1 USA 3,744 3,041 2837 2,650 2,728 630 15,630
2 Canada 589 487 458 384 335 108 2,361
3 UK 468 372 394 378 357 97 2,066
4 France 330 238 456 427 334 102 1,877
5 Jordan 303 369 354 263 146 37 1,472
6 Russian
Federation
242 169 164 259 245 85 1,164
7 Italy 193 234 228 205 220 51 1,131
8 Germany 195 169 211 207 236 65 1,083
9 Ukraine 199 141 222 177 211 37 987
10 Australia 174 223 205 190 140 47 979
11 Romania 176 153 173 186 203 17 908
12 Moldova 58 82 140 173 250 68 771
There were no significant changes in the trends of return. The USA is as it was the
main source country for returning resident, yet the total number of returning residents
is still lower than it was in 2012/2013. The slow but constant trend of growth in the
number of returning resident from Moldova, Ukraine the Russian Federation and
Romania continues.
Family Reunification (not including Falash Mura)
Family reunification is very restricted in Israel. There are three main categories of
Family reunification:
Spouses of Israeli citizen and residents who are not residents of the Palestinian
authority.
10
It should be noted that in the first half of the year there was in recent years a smaller number of
returning residents than in the second half of the year (see for example last year report), we can assume
that the low number of returning residents in the first half of 2016, doesn’t necessarily mean a decline
in the second half of the year or in the total number.
Spouses of Israeli citizen and residents who are residents of the Palestinian
authority (including a sub population of east Jerusalem resident).
Family members (spouses and children) of permanent migrants.
Spouses of Israeli citizen and residents can have no status in Israel even when being
parents of an Israeli citizen or resident, so are families in which not all the siblings
have the same status.
Since 2003 under the law of The Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law (temporary
provision)11
there are strict limitation on the possibility family reunification of Israeli
citizen and resident with resident of the Palestinian authority in the West Bank and a
prohibition of family reunification with resident of Gaza or a citizen of the following
countries: Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq.12
Under the restriction family reunification with a resident of the west bank is allowed
only with women over the age of 25 and men over 35. Even than the person will get a
staying permit and not a residency or citizenship. There is a humanitarian committee
for cases of people who do not meet the criteria. There are more restrictions and in
recent years more enforcement against people who brought their spouses without
permit.
Table 12: Number of applications and approval of application for family
reunifications 2014-01-03.2017 (not including Palestinian residents of the west
bank and East Jerusalem)13
Application
submitted
Application
approved
2014 4,009 3,317
2015 4,499 3,650
2016 4,665 3,113
01-03.2017 1387 449
Total 14,529 10,529
11
In Hebrew: https://www.nevo.co.il/law_html/Law01/999_180.htm In English (not the last version of
the law): https://www.knesset.gov.il/laws/special/eng/citizenship_law.htm 12
Israeli can have family reunification with Syrian citizen who are Druze. 13
General remark to tables 11-14, there is no connection between the number of new application and
the number of approvals in every year. An application approved in a year (f.e. 2015) could be
submitted between the years 2007-2015.
There is a constant growth in the number of applications while there is no growth in
the number of approvals. The trend of 2017 is a substantial growth in the number of
requests and a substantial decline in the number of approvals.
Table 13: Number of applications and approval of application for family
reunifications 2014-01-03.2017 between Israeli citizen and Palestinian residents
of the west bank (not including East Jerusalem)
Application
submitted
Application
approved
2014 255 161
2015 285 162
2016 330 109
01-03.2017 94 1
Total 964 433
There is a constant growth in the number of applications while there is a decline in the
number of approvals. The trend of 2017 is a substantial growth in the number of
requests and a substantial decline in the number of approvals. It should be noted that
family reunification with residents of the Palestinian Authority is a humanitarian
procedure.
Table 14: Number of applications and approval of application for family
reunifications 2014-01-03.2017 between resident of East Jerusalem foreign and
Palestinian residents of the west bank
Foreign
Application
submitted
Foreign
Application
approved
Palestinian
Application
submitted
Palestinian
Application
approved
2014 182 98 515 303
2015 204 119 537 203
2016 166 51 468 99
01-03.2017 63 7 157 1
Total 615 275 1,677 636
There are no significant changes in the number of application for family reunification
in both categories. There is a decline in approvals. In the first quarter of 2017 there is
a growth in the number of family reunification application with residence of the West
Bank.
Table 15: Total number of applications, rejection, detention and approval of
application for family reunifications 2014-01-03.2017
Application Approval Rejection Detention
2014 4,961 1,860 348 4
2015 5,514 3,196 506 24
2016 5,619 13,444 595 91
01-03.2017 1,701 5,653 207 55
It should be noted that as of 31/03/2017 there are 7,086 cases under examination.
There is a trend of growth in the total number of all the categories.
1.2 Changes in immigration policy, Ministry of Absorption budget
and government decisions
In 2016-2017 there were no significant changes in the immigration policy of the State
of Israel. Although there were no significant changes, as a response to the decline in
the number of Olim, the government adopted more decision concerning the
encouragement of Jews to immigrant to Israel and about investing efforts in
encouraging the return of Israelis who emigrated from Israel. As part of this effort like
in the previous year, the government publishes the benefits that are given to
"returning residents"14
. The government continued her policy to help Olim to integrate
in the labour market.
The governmental minister's committee for absorption of immigration had no
decisions during this period, while the ministerial committee for the integration of the
Ethiopian Jews had 4 decisions that became Gov. Decision.15
The parliament
committee had more than 200 hearings.16
The trends of recent years continued in 2016 with a decision (gov. Decision 1702) to
extend gov. Decision 2446 of the former government (February 15 2015) in this
14
In Hebrew: http://www.moia.gov.il/Hebrew/ReturningResidents/Pages/default.aspx. 15
In Hebrew:
http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/ministersCommissions/Pages/CommitteesSearch.aspx?PN=1 16
http://knesset.gov.il/committees/eng/committee_eng.asp?c_id=27
decision for a special plan for the encouragement of immigration and better
absorption of Olim from France Belgium and the Ukraine the government added a
new 130 million NIS budget for a variety of plans to be administrated by the
ministries of immigration absorption education, social services, labour market and
economy and health. Some of them were planned to be executed abroad.17
In 2016-2017 the major change in the immigration policy was towards to Olim from
Ethiopia and their decedents. Gov. Decision 1065 to accept the different ministries
programs about the increasing the number of government employee from Ethiopian
origin so the share of those workers won't be lower than the share of the Ethiopian
origin Israelis in the general population.18
In August 2016, the government adopted the recommendations of the inter-ministerial
taskforce on eradicating racism against people of Ethiopian descent. Among the main
recommendations were: 19
Establishing a government unit to coordinate the struggle against racism
Appointing an official in charge of discrimination and racism in each
government ministry
Free legal representation in lawsuits concerning discrimination in entrance
into public places
A mechanism for rapid integration of people of Ethiopian descent into the
public service
Several recommendations to the Police about improving their treatment of
cases involving people of Ethiopian descent
The government adopted Decisions (Gov. Decision 825, December 10 2015, and 958
January 10 2016)20
to increase the funding of "Taglit program" (a program in which
Jung Jewish people visit in Israel for a trip and learn about the country).
Government Decision 1702 of July 21, 2016 decided to extend the program for
optimal absorption of immigrants from France, Belgium and Ukraine, that was
17
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2015/Pages/des2446.aspx
http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1702.aspx 18
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1065.aspx 19
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/MediaCenter/Events/Pages/eventShiluv010816.aspx 20
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec958.aspx
http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2015/Pages/dec825.aspx
originally passed in February 2015, so that it would also apply to immigrants arriving
in Israel from those countries throughout the whole of 2016.
Government Decision 1911, August 11 2016: to allow 1,300 (out of the 7,200 who
were declared entitled in Gov. Decision 716) to migrant to Israel under some
conditions through family reunion process. The rest of the population will migration
possibility will be discussed in the 2019 state budget discussions.21
In August 2016 another 2 Gov. Decisions were adopted concerning the integration of
Jews with Ethiopian origin. Decision 1958 adopted the recommendation for the
abolishing of racism against people with Ethiopian background in the Israeli Society.
In the decision the targets of every ministry were concluded and also the monitoring
measures for the valuation of the program and the implementation of the defined
goals.22
On January an additional decision was received (Gov. Decision 2254) to take
measures to ensure that the police will deal with racism against Jews from Ethiopian
origin inside the police.23
The second decision (1957) was a special program of the
culture and sport ministry, with a total budget Of 19 million NIS for 4 years.
Government Decision 2253, 05 January 2017: The Construction and Housing
ministry plan for loans and urban renewing focused on Jews with Ethiopian origin.24
Amendment Nu. 9 to the Israeli Passports Law
On June 26 2017 the Knesset approved an amendment to the Passport law. Permanent
Migrants to Israel were not entitled to an Israeli passport but got only Travel
document for the first year after their emigration. The new amendment allows the
"Ole" to ask for an Israeli passport immediately after getting the citizenship due to his
right under the law of Return.25
21
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1911.aspx 22
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Documents/A1707.pdf
http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1958.aspx 23
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2017/Pages/dec2254.aspx 24
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2017/Pages/dec2253.aspx 25
In Hebrew:
http://main.knesset.gov.il/Activity/Legislation/Laws/Pages/LawBill.aspx?t=lawsuggestionssearch&law
itemid=2013512
Ministry of Aliyah and Immigration Absorption Budget
Between 2009 and 2017 the budget of the ministry of Aliyah and Immigration
Absorption increased steadily from 1.3 billion NIS in 2009 to 1.869 billion NIS in the
budget proposal for 2017 (and 1.915 billion in 2018).26
In the new budget (2017-
2018) the main programs are:27
Encouragement of migration of Jews to Israel.
Programs to help migrants to enter the labour market and create new
enterprises.
Education programs and treatment of migrant students.
Direct payments and benefits to permanent Migrants.
Direct Payment for housing.
Absorption of Jews from Ethiopia.
Social Integration benefits and programs.
Table 16: Ministry of Aliyah and Migration Absorption Budget 2009-2018 (In
billions NIS)28
Budget Proposal Actual Budget29
2009 1.31 1.271
2010 1.31 1.193
2011 1.30 1.227
2012 1.30 1.297
2013 1.49 1.397
26
In Hebrew:
http://www.mof.gov.il/BudgetSite/statebudget/BUDGET2017_2018/MINISTERIESBUDGET/socialB
udget/DocLib/KlitatAliya_Takanot_2017.PDF
http://mof.gov.il/BudgetSite/statebudget/BUDGET2015_2016/MINISTERIESBUDGET/socialBudget/
Pages/ImmigrationAbsorption.aspx 27
In Hebrew:
http://www.mof.gov.il/BudgetSite/statebudget/BUDGET2017_2018/MINISTERIESBUDGET/socialB
udget/DocLib/KlitatAliya_Prop.pdf 28
In Hebrew:
http://www.mof.gov.il/BudgetSite/statebudget/BUDGET2017_2018/MINISTERIESBUDGET/socialB
udget/DocLib/KlitatAliya_Takanot_2017.PDF
http://mof.gov.il/BudgetSite/statebudget/BUDGET2015_2016/MINISTERIESBUDGET/socialBudget/
DocLib/KlitatAliya_Prop.pdf 29
In Hebrew: http://mof.gov.il/AG/BudgetExecution/Pages/PublicaticountantGeneral.aspx
2014 1.49 1.415
2015 1.888 1.617
2016 1.783 -
2017 1.869 -
2018 1.915 -
Table 17: The Share of the main Budgets in the Ministry of Aliyah Budget
proposal in the years 2011-2018
2011-2012 2013-2014 2015-2016 2017-2018
Direct payments
benefits and
housing payments
55% 60% 58% 58%
Programs to help
migrants enter the
labour market
13% 12% 10% 11%
Education and
programs for
students
3% 5% 5% 5%
Absorption of
Jews from
Ethiopia
3% 7% 6% 6%
Encouragement of
migration of Jews
to Israel
2% 1% 2% 2%
The budget of the ministry is growing constantly but there are no significant changes
in the division of main budgets in the ministry general budget.
1.5 Integration of immigrants in society and in the economy
In 2016-2017 the government continued its efforts to integrate immigrants to the
economy. The government effort were focused in two main targets the integration of
new immigrants from European states like France Belgium Russia and the Ukraine
and tin improving the integration of migrants and decedents of migrants from
Ethiopia.
The government invests great effort in integrating these immigrants into the labor
force. During 2016 and 2017, the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption continued to
partner in funding the salaries of these immigrants for employers. The eligibility for
this program was granted to employers of immigrants in selected professions for up to
ten years from the date of their Aliyah (and for returning residents for up to two years
from the date of their return).30
In March 2016, regulations were passed that exempted dentists who had immigrated
to Israel from taking examinations. According to the new regulations, dentists with 5
years of professional experience would be permitted to practice dentistry in Israel.
Furthermore, those who have already failed the examination would be able to repeat
the practical examination only. 31
Another program is the integration of doctors into positions in hospitals. Doctors with
experience abroad in specialties in demand can be employed in hospitals under close
supervision of an experienced doctor and, if found to be suitable, they would obtain a
license to practice medicine in Israel without taking an examination.
The integration of the Ethiopian Jews and its failure is being one of the main topics in
the public discussion in Israel in 2015 since this subject is being discussed in a special
ministerial committee (the ministerial committee for the integration of the Ethiopian
Jews in Israel) On February 04 2016 the government decided (Gov. Decision 1107)
on a new policy to promote the integration of Ethiopian Jews and they're decedents
into the public service, the ministry of defense and the army and the ministry of
economics.32
30
In Hebrew: http://www.moia.gov.il/Hebrew/Subjects/Employment/Pages/ParticipationInSalary.aspx 31
In Hebrew: http://main.knesset.gov.il/News/PressReleases/Pages/press290316-n.aspx 32
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1107.aspx
Immigration of former Jews (Falash Mura) from Ethiopia
During the first months of 2016 there was a crisis among the governing coalition after
it have become clear that the decision was not budgeted in the state budget for the
years 2015-2016. The government suggested bringing only 500 in 2016 and then
reconsidering the whole subject.33
In the end there was an agreement to bring 1,300
Falash Mura in 2016 and that in the next budget talks the subject of the rest of the
7,700 will be discussed.
It should be noted that all the Falash Mura people who are allowed to immigrate to
Israel in recent years and by the new procedures are entering Israel not as Olim but by
a humanitarian procedure and are not entitled to immediate Israeli citizenship or any
other benefits that "Olim" are getting. They enter a process of converting to Judaism
and only after they finish it they get Israeli citizenship and all the benefits connected
with it such as social security and national health insurance.
In Gov. Decision 1911 a budget was defined to ensure that the people migrating to
Israel due to the new Decision (in a family reunion procedure) will be entitled to most
of the benefits "Olim" are getting. The program budget is 241,270,000 NIS for the
years 2016-2019.34
33
In Hebrew: session of the Israeli parliament Internal Affairs and Environment Committee
07/03/2016. 34
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1911.aspx
2. Temporary Migrant Workers (Foreign Workers)
The State of Israel permits the entry of Temporary Migrant Workers (TMW-in
Israel the term used to describe this population is: foreign workers) to Israel, nearly all
of them low-skilled workers employed in caregiving, agriculture and construction.
There are, in addition, foreign skilled specialist workers and daily Jordanian
workers (tourism and construction in the region of Eilat).
There is no cap on the number of foreign workers in the caregiving sector, nor is there
a cap on the number of foreign workers designated as specialists (skilled workers who
earn at least double the national average wage). In the agriculture, construction and
tourism sectors there is a fixed quota which is set by the government.
A foreign worker who enters Israel under a work permit may remain in the country
for up to 63 months (in the caregiving sector there are criteria that allow a longer stay,
in recent years the period in construction and agriculture had been longer in some
particular cases, there are no limitations on daily workers),35
TMW with experts visa
can renew the visa without time limitation). The permit is not given for 63 months,
but for a year at a time, and depends on regulated employment by an employer who
holds an employment permit. This method of granting permits can result in the loss of
a worker's legal status, if he fails to arrange his status when transferring between
employers. For this reason, the status of a considerable number of foreign workers
who entered Israel legally is unregulated. Every year hundreds of foreign workers
mainly in the agriculture sector are being deported after losing their status.
Between 2003 and 2013 the official policy of the governments was to reduce the
number of TMW and to raise the number of Israeli workers in the branches that had
the major quotas of TMW, although the measures that were taken were not always to
reduce the number of TMW or to raise the number of local workers. Since the end of
2013, the policy trend has changed. For the first time after a decade the government
decided to raise the number of TMW in some branches and to add a new quota in a
branch (Tourism). There is a growing pressure on the government from employers
35
In June 2017, another extension of the period of legal stay for construction workers have been
declared, workers can stay in Israel till the end of 2016, as long as they are currently in Israel less than
11 years.
organizations is different branches of the economy to enlarge and open new quotas.
This trend continued in 2016/2017. Since 2013 the total number of temporary migrant
workers in Israel increased in more than 11,000 and there is also an increase in the
number of temporary migrant workers entering Israel every year and the number of
daily Jordanian workers.
There is a growing demand of employer's organization, in fields of employment in
which there is a quota to raise the quotas, but also in other fields of employment in
which there is no quota. Two examples from 2016/2017:
After the establishment of a new quota for the tourism branch in Eilat there is a
demand for TMW in the branch of tourism in other places in Israel. There is also a
demand in the Hitech Industry and in traditional branches of industry to create a quota
or at least to allow the employment of expert workers under easier conditions to
employers and lower payments to the workers. In the branch of institutional care for
elderly there is also a demand to give nursing quota to the institutes.
On September 2016, a new research about vocational training in Israel was published.
The research shows that between 2002 and 2014, the budgets of vocational training
programs were reduced in 83% and the number of unemployed people participating in
the programs in 2014 was only 16.5% from the number of participants in 2002.36
There is a clear correlation between the situation of vocational training and the
inability of the local labor market to answer the needs of employers. This inability is a
one of the main causes for the growing demand for TMW.
36
In Hebrew: http://www.acri.org.il/he/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Vocational-training2016.pdf
2.1 Data37
General data on Temporary Migrant workers 2016-2017
In 2016 52,600 new Temporary Migrant Workers entered Israel. A significant
increase as it was in 2015 (42,600), since 2013 there is a trend of growth in the
number of TMW who enter Israel with a working permit. There is a similar growth in
the departures of Temporary Migrant Workers.
Table 18: Entrance of Temporary Migrant Workers to Israel 2009-201638
Number of
entrance
Change in
Number
Change in
Percentage
2009 26,600 -3,700 -12.2%
2010 32,300 +5,700 +21.4%
2011 32,700 +400 +1.2%
2012 29,600 -3,100 -9.7%
2013 35,600 +6,000 +20.2%
2014 38,200 +2,600 +8.3%
2015 42,600 +4,400 +11.5%
2016 52,600 +10,000 +23.5%
The growth trend in the number of TMW entries since 2012 continues. The increaser
between 2015 and 2016 was sharper than in recent years.
Table 19: Departure of Temporary Migrant workers 2009-201639
37
Source of data on legal foreign workers – Central Bureau of Statistics website,
http://www1.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201320205
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201620232 ,
http://www1.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201420200 and Population and
Immigration Authority website, In Hebrew
http://www.piba.gov.il/PublicationAndTender/ForeignWorkersStat/Documents/561353new.pdf
http://www.piba.gov.il/PublicationAndTender/GeneralTender/Documents/
pdf.דוח%20חופש%20המידע%20%202013
http://www.piba.gov.il/PublicationAndTender/summery/Documents/summary2012.pdfhttps://newgov.
gov.il/BlobFolder/generalpage/foreign_workers_stats/he/summary_2015_new.pdf
38
In Hebrew: http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201520198
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201720217 39
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/shnaton/templ_shnaton.html?num_tab=st04_12&CYear=2011
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201620232 (2011-2017)
Number of
Departures
Change in Number Change in
Percentage
2009 22,800 -100 -0.45%
2010 29,500 +6,800 +29.9%
2011 32,400 +2,900 +9.8%
2012 31,600 -800 -2.5%
2013 32,000 +400 +1.25%
2014 34,300 +2,300 +7.25%
2015 38,600 +4,300 +12.5%
2016 46,100 +7,500 +19.5%
The growth trend in the number departure since 2012 continues.
Table 20: Entrance and Departure of Temporary Migrant Workers 2009-2016
Number of Entrance Number of Departure Balance
2009 26,600 22,800 +3,800
2010 32,300 29,500 +2,800
2011 32,700 32,400 +300
2012 29,600 31,600 -2,000
2013 35,600 32,000 +3,600
2014 38,200 34,300 +3,900
2015 42,600 38,600 +4,000
2016 52,600 46,100 +6,500
Since 2009, every year except of 2012, more TMW entered Israel than those who left
it. The total number is 21,000 more entries than departures in the years 2009-2016.
The total number of TMW who entered legally since 2002 and haven’t left Israel is
94.8.
At the end of 2016, the population of foreign workers who entered Israel legally stood
at 100,145 (2015: 93,107, 2014: 89,882) a record for the recent years and the highest
number since 2003. Of these, 84,485 were regulated workers (2015: 77,192; 2014:
74,567) and 15,660 were unregulated workers (2015: 15,915; 2014: 15,315). Since
2012/2013 the number of TMW is growing steadily. At the end of June 2017 the total
number of TMW who entered Israel legally increased again to 104,199. Of these
85,932 were regulated workers and 18,267 were unregulated.40
Between 2013 and
2017, while the number of TMW without a valid visa was solid, the numbers of TMW
with a valid visa grow slightly more than 10,000 (14.1%).
Table 21: Temporary Migrant Workers in recent Years 2011-2017
Legal Status Without Legal
Status
Total
2011 74,778 14,118 88,896
2012 70,584 14,549 85,133
2013 71,352 15,366 86,718
2014 74,567 15,315 89,882
06.2015 76,367 15,526 91,893
12.2015 77,192 15,915 93,107
06.2016 81,438 15,284 96,724
12.2016 84,485 15,660 100,145
06.2017 85,932 18,267 104,199
505 foreign workers who entered Israel legally were deported in 2016 against their
will, most of the (273) in the first half of the year (2015: 580 2014: 535 2013: 1,038;
2012: 3040; 2011: 1,131), while 46,100 (2015: 38,600) foreign workers left Israel
voluntarily upon or before the expiration of the valid period of their permit.
40
In Hebrew:
https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/reports/foreign_workers_report_q2_2017/he/foreign_workers_stats_q2
_2017.pdf
Table 22: Main nationalities of temporary migrant workers entering Israel in
2015-2016:41
Country 2015 2015
%
2016 2016
%
Country 2015 2015
%
2016 2016
%
Former
USSR
9,300 21.6% 12,30
0
23.4% China 2,600 6.1% 2,800 5.3%
Thailand 6,800 16% 8,600 16.3% Nepal 1,100 2.6% 1,100 2.1%
Philippines 6,700 15.7% 7,100 13.5% Bulgaria 400 0.9% 500 0.9%
India 5,500 12.9% 5,600 10.6% Rumania 1,000 2.3% 1,100 2.1%
Sri Lanka 2,300 5.4% 2,600 4.9% Germany
, UK,
600 1.4% 700 1.3%
Turkey 1,500 3.5% 1,500 2.8% USA 400 0.9% 800 1.4%
In addition to the raise in the number entering Israel in 2016, there were no major
changes in trends that developed between 2013 and 2015.
Table 23: gender share 2012-2016
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Man 45% 49% 50% 50% 57%
Women 55% 49% 50% 50% 43%
The share of women (43%) is in a trend of decline. After a decline between 2012 and
2013, and 3 years of stability 2013 till 2015, in 2016 the share of women decreased
sharply. There are no changes in the gender distribution between the main branches.
In Construction and Agriculture almost all the workers are man while in home care
the majority of workers are women.
Table 24: Main Continents of foreign workers entering 2009-2016 (%)
Asia Europe Asia Europe
2009 72% 26% 2013 71% 29%
2010 74% 25% 2014 70% 27%
2011 75% 25% 2015 67% 30%
2012 69% 31% 2016 65% 32%
41
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/shnaton/templ_shnaton.html?num_tab=st04_11&CYear=2016
In 2016 the number of foreign workers from Europe had grown again, this time also
the share of European workers. Among Asian workers there was a continuance trend
of decline in the share of the workers since 2013.
Table 25: Main nationalities of temporary migrant workers departure in 2015-
2016:42
Country 2015 2015
%
2016 2016 Country 2015 2015
%
2016 2016
Former
USSR
7,400 19.1% 9,200 19.9% China 2,600 6.8% 2,700 5.8%
Thailand 7,100 18.4% 7,400 16% Nepal 1,600 4.1% 1,500 3.2%
Philippines 5,700 14.8% 5,800 12.6% Bulgaria 600 1.5% 400 0.8%
India 3,900 10.1% 5,100 11.1% Rumania 800 2.1% 1,000 2.1%
Sri Lanka 2,000 5.2% 2,400 5.2% Germany
, UK,
USA
1,200 3.1% 1,800 3.9%
Turkey 1,400 3.6% 1,500 3.2% Other 3000 7.9% 2,800 6%
Data on foreign workers by main sectors in 2016-2017
As noted in recent years there is an increase in the number of foreign workers. The
bilateral agreements that the state of Israel signed with Romania, Bulgaria,
Moldova,43
China and Thailand44
contributed to this raise, mainly workers from
Thailand in the agriculture sector. The total number of foreign workers should rise
again during the second half of 2017, due to a growth in the quotas utilization of
foreign workers in agriculture and construction and a new quota of foreign workers
from Jordan that will work in the hotel industry in Eilat. In addition there is a constant
growth in the number of home care workers. In the second half of 2016 a new
bilateral agreement was signed with the Ukraine and in 2017 with China.
At the end of June 2017 the total number of foreign workers in Israel was 104,199
(June 2016: 96,724), 85,932 (81,438) regulated workers, again an increase in the
number of regulated workers. 18,267 (15,284) were unregulated workers, a change in
trend to increase. 505 foreign workers who entered Israel legally were deported in
42
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/shnaton/templ_shnaton.html?num_tab=st04_12&CYear=2017 43
A bilateral agreement example, the agreement between Israel and Moldova:
http://mfa.gov.il/Style%20Library/AmanotPdf/4-28600-10015.pdf 44
With Thailand: http://mfa.gov.il/Style%20Library/AmanotPdf/4-28146-9564.PDF
2015 against their will, and 205 in the first half of 2017, a decrease in the number of
deportation in both years.45
Special quotas
Jordanian workers (Daily workers)
1,800 Jordanian daily workers work in the city of Eilat region.
300 Jordanians enter Israel daily to work, who may be employed only in the city of
Eilat and in the regional council Eliot. The employment of these workers under a
special quota was regulated in a protocol signed between the State of Israel and the
Kingdom of Jordan in 2000. The validity of the arrangement has been extended
several times (up to and including 2017)46
.
1,500 Jordanian workers are allowed to work in the hotel industry at Eilat region. This
quota is till the end of 2019 or till a time in which the unemployment rate in Eilat will
be higher than 7.5% (government decision 1773).47
On July 2016 the Israeli Security Agency removed its resistance to the employment of
Jordanian workers in Eilat at evening and night shifts. Due to this announcement the
immigration authority decided on a new three months Pilot program of evening and
night shifts for Jordanian workers. 48
Tel Aviv-Jerusalem railway project
In 2016-2017as it was in the years 2011-2016, 150 Chinese workers are employed
under a special quota in the construction of a railway between Tel Aviv and
Jerusalem.
Tel Aviv city rail project
In 2016-2017 two quotas were given to companies working on two parts of the new
city rail in the Tel Aviv region, 51 TMW to work on the east part till the end of 2017
and 154 TMW on the west part of the city rail.
45
In Hebrew:
https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/reports/foreign_workers_report_q2_2017/he/foreign_workers_stats_q2
_2017_2.pdf 46
In Hebrew: http://www.piba.gov.il/Regulations/9.6.0001.pdf 47
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2014/Pages/dec1773.aspx 48
In Hebrew:
https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/policy/pilot_for_jordanians_working_nightshifts_eilat/he/pilot_jordania
ns_nightshift_hotels_july16.pdf
New see ports projects
In 2016-2017 the companies building the new see ports in Ashdod and Haifa had
permits to employ 460 TMW.
Turkish Construction workers
In Government Resolution 597 dated October 25 2015,49
the government decided to
extend the validity of the designated quota of foreign workers from Turkey in the
construction field under a reciprocal purchase agreement between the Israel Military
Industries and the government of Turkey in another 36 months (the quota was first
established in 2004). The quota remains 1,200 workers. This designated quota is in
addition to the quota of workers in the construction field, and is not its derivative.50
During 2016 the government decided to permit the entrance of another 6 international
construction companies to Israel and to let every company bring 1,000 workers.51
There is a lot of critic on this decision, from employers and constructor organization
and from NGO'S. While employers and constructors claim that the government
decision will hurt Israeli employers and constructors and that the competition won't be
fair. The human rights NGO'S claim this model is allowing exploitation of the
workers and holding workers under slavery conditions. According to Sigal Rosen
from the hot line for migrant workers, under the existing agreement with the Turkish
company Yilmezlar workers are being denied from their rights and exploited.52
Foreign workers in the construction sector 2016-2017
At the end of 2016, Israel had 8,577 regulated foreign construction workers (2015:
6,855) and another 787 unregulated foreign construction workers who entered Israel
legally (2015: 999) the growth trends of recent years continued, but in 2016 with a
substantial growth in the number of regulated workers and another decline in the
number of the unregulated.
49
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2015/Pages/dec597.aspx 50
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2013/Pages/des1079.aspx 51
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/des1320.aspx 52
Sigal Rosen, Hot line for migrant workers, Interview, 07/08/2016, 01/08/2017.
Table 26: Changes in Government Policy on Reducing and Cancelling the Quota
of Foreign Construction Workers53
Decision
446 (2006)
Decision
147
(2009)
Decision
1066 (2009)
Decision
2080
(2010)
Decision
3453
(2011)
Decision
1693
(2014)
Decision
317
(2015)
Decision
1236
(2016)
2010 Specialists 5,000 8,000 until
July; 5,000
from July
8,000 - - - -
2011 Specialists 2,000 2,000 8,000
until July;
5,000
from July
8,000 - - -
2012 Specialists Specialists Specialists 2,000 8,000 - - -
2013 Specialists Specialists Specialists Specialists 8,000 - - -
July
2014
Specialists Specialists Specialists Specialists 5,000 8,000 - -
July
2015
Specialists Specialists Specialists Specialists 2,000 15,000 15,000 -
2016 Specialists Specialists Specialists Specialists Specialists 15,000 20,000 16,500
2017 Specialists Specialists Specialists Specialists Specialists 15,000 20,000 16,500
2018 Specialists Specialists Specialists Specialists Specialists 15,000 20,000 16,500
2019 Specialists Specialists Specialists Specialists Specialists 8,000 20,000 16,500
2020 Specialists Specialists Specialists Specialists Specialists 5,000 20,000 16,500
2021 - - - - 2,000 20,000 16,500
The number of TMW in the construction sector is to growth significantly in the
coming years since Israel has signed a bilateral agreement with China to bring 20,000
construction workers, and the government also decided to allow to 6 international
construction companies to work in Israel and bring 1,000 workers each.
53
In Hebrew http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMO/Archive/Decisions/2006/09/des446.htm ,http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMO/Secretarial/Decisions/2009/05/des147.htm ,http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMO/Secretarial/Decisions/2009/12/des1066.htm, http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMO/Secretarial/Decisions/2010/07/des2080.htm
http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2014/Pages/dec1693.aspx
http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2014/Pages/dec1687.aspx
http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2015/Pages/dec317.aspx
http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1236.aspx
It should be noted that in the years 2009-2011, more than 20,000 new Israeli workers
entered the construction sector. This trend changed in 2012 and since than the share of
Israeli workers in constructions is lowers than it was in 2011.
Table 27: recent trends of employments (workers and quotas) in construction*
2010-201654
Year Israelis Palestinians** Foreign**
Workers
Israelis in
%
Total***
2009 143,600 25,600 9,000 81% 178,200
2010 157,400 26,300 8,000 82% 191,700
2011 162,500 31,300 8,000 80% 201,800
2012 150,300 35,400 8,000 78% 193,700
2013 165,800 41,100 8,000 77.4% 214,900
2014 172,600 48,100 8,000 75% 227,400
2015 175,800 55,400 15,000 71.4% 246,200
2016 187,400 59,650 16,500 71.1% 263,550
* The numbers are only in the construction for building and not include infrastructure.
** The Palestinian and foreign workers numbers in this table are quota's numbers. The
Palestinian workers data includes Palestinian working for Israeli employer in the west bank.
*** The number of infiltrators and asylum seekers in the construction sector is unknown; it
can be estimated between several hundreds to about 4,000.
Since 2011 the trend of decline in the share of Israeli workers continues. Even if we
calculate not the quotas of "not Israeli" workers but the actual workers number, the
number of Israeli workers in construction is in constant growth since 2012.
At the end of June 2017, Israel had 8,867 (June 2016: 8,063) regulated foreign
construction workers and another 1,184 (730) unregulated foreign construction
workers who entered Israel legally. The total number of workers reached a slight
increase above the level in the end of 2012.55
The 3 Main countries of which workers
with legal status were: China, Moldova and Turkey.
In the course of the second half of 2016 and the first half of 2017, construction
workers continued to arrive from Bulgaria, with which a bilateral agreement was
signed for bringing in construction workers. Since 2011, construction specialists also
began arriving in Israel, but in 2016-2017 as it was in 2011-2015 this is not a
54
In Hebrew:
http://www.moch.gov.il/SiteCollectionDocuments/meyda_statisti/chovrot/anaf_habeniyya_beisrael_sik
kum_2014.pdf http://www.cbs.gov.il/publications15/saka0115q/pdf/tab02_01_q.pdf 55
In Hebrew:
http://www.piba.gov.il/PublicationAndTender/ForeignWorkersStat/Documents/july2015.pdf
widespread phenomenon. The new bilateral agreement with China is expected to
contribute to a significant growth in the next year.
Table 28: Employee Jobs in the Construction Sector 2003-201656
Israelis Palestinians Foreign
Workers
Israelis in % Total
2003 104,900 7,900 24,300 76.4% 137,100
2005 102,400 4,800 10,800 86.4% 118,000
2010 122,800 16,300 9,700 82.5% 148,800
2011 127,300 18,200 10,300 82.2% 155,800
2012 119,600 21,300 10,200 77.6% 151,100
2013 129,600 26,900 11,200 77.5% 167,700
2014 134,700 34,200 10,500 75.1% 179,400
2015 129,800 39,800 11,600 71.7% 181,200
2016 125,500 48,500 13,000 67.1% 187,000
The share of Israeli employee jobs increased between 2003 and 2005, till 2014 the
share of Israeli employee jobs was higher than in 2003. Since 2014 the share and
number of Israeli workers is in decline while the share and number of not Israeli
workers continues to grow.
Till July 2017 Israel signed 5 bilateral agreements for the employment of construction
workers. The agreements were signed with Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania, Ukraine
and China. Till mid 2017 the number of workers that came to work in construction
through bilateral agreements with Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova was lower than the
quota. The pressure on the government, like it was in recent years, is to bring workers
from china.
56
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/shnaton/templ_shnaton.html?num_tab=st22_05&CYear=2016 it
should be noted that there is a slight difference between the number of employee jobs reported to the
national security system and the number of employee job based on the CBS independent yearly
evaluation (see in the statistical appendix table 70 on employee jobs of foreign and Palestinian
workers)
The employers are claiming that due to the security problems and the high risk of
clashes in the west bank that will lead to the possibility of a closure, they can't depend
only on a rise in the quota of Palestinian workers but need more foreign workers.
The average wage per employee of foreign residents working in the construction
industry was approximately 7,847 (2015: 7,370), an increase in real terms by
compared to same period last year, wages is higher by 45.6% - the average wage of
foreign workers in 2016 5,739 (2015: 5,046).
Wages in the construction industry were and continue to be relatively higher in
relation to foreign workers who are not experts. Nonetheless, while the increase in the
minimum wage over the past few years caused the average wage of an employed
foreign worker to increase by some NIS1,120, in the construction industry this
average wage has only increased by NIS 797 since 2011. The average wage of a
foreign worker in the construction industry (7,487) has remained considerably higher
than that of a Palestinian worker in the industry (4,346), largely because of overtime
pay.
Temporary Migrant Workers in the agriculture sector
At the end of 2016 21,786 (2015: 21,268) TMW with a valid working permit were
working in agriculture. In addition 919 TMW who have lost their status were still in
Israel. 359 seasonal TMW in agriculture had a valid permit and 10 were in Israel
without a valid permit.
Since the cancelation of the 2009 agreement between the employers in the agriculture
sector and the government there is no policy to reduce the number of TMW in
agriculture. On September 2017 the minister of agriculture announced he will bring to
the government a new plan to raise the seasonal workers quota from 500 to 2,000 a
year for the years 2017-2020.
Since 2012 all the long-term (63 months) foreign workers in agriculture are being
recruited through the I.O.M in Thailand. Since the second half of 2013, the number of
Thai workers is growing substantially and the needs of the employers are being
answered. Yet both the quotas of regular and seasonal TMW in agriculture were not
fulfilled in recent years.
At the end of June 2017, Israel had 22,251 (June 2016: 21,434) regulated agricultural
TMW and another 1,099 (598) unregulated TMW agricultural workers who entered
Israel legally with a yearly permit, A slight growth in the number of agriculture
workers. 245 seasonal TMW had a valid permit and 39 were in Israel without a valid
permit.
Table 29: The end of the Planned Gradual Reduction in the Quota of Foreign
Agricultural Workers
Quota 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Base 27,500 26,000 24,500 23,000 21,500 20,500 18,900 -
Changes
in 2011
26,000 24,400 23,000 21,500 20,000 18,900
Changes
in 2012
26,000 25,40057
23,000 21,500 20,000 18,900
Changes
in 2013
(I)
25,000 23,000 21,500 20,000
Changes
in 2013
(II) *
24,999 24,999 24,999
* The quota doesn’t include the quota for 500 seasonal workers. As a part of the
Measures to help the population near the border between Israel and Gaza strip the
ministry of agriculture suggested in august 2014 to add a special quota of 700 foreign
workers for the years 2015-2017.
Table 30: recent trends of employments (workers) in agriculture 2010-06.2017
Year Israelis Palestinians*
**
Foreign**
Workers
Israelis in
%
Total***
2009 40,100 5,250 27,500 55.1% 72,850
2010 47,100 8,000 26,000 58.1% 81,100
2011 42,600 9,500 26,000 52.6% 78,100
2012 51,300 11,000 25,400 57.4% 87,700
57
Originally, in September there was to have been a decrease of 1,000 workers, but the reduction was
cancelled since the original quota had not been fully utilized.
2013 43,100 12,150 25,000 51.8% 80,250
2014 39,900 12,950 22,618
(25,000)
51.2% 77,850
2015 37,700 9,918
(12,950)
21,973
(25,000)
49.8% 75,650
2016 37,900 11,833
(14,750)
22,556
(25,500)
52.1% 72,289
06.2017 37,200 10,232
(14,000)
23,634
(25,500)
52.2% 71,066
* Including seasonal workers
** The Palestinian and foreign worker's numbers in this table are quota's numbers till 2014, from 2014
actual permit holders' number and (quota).
*** The number of infiltrators and asylum seekers in the Agriculture sector is unknown; it can be
estimated in couple of hundreds.
The number and share of Israeli agriculture workers is in decline since 2012. There
are no significant changes in the quotas of Palestinian and TMW workers. The quotas
are slightly bigger but there is no full recruitment.
Table 31: Employee Jobs in Agriculture 2009-201658
Israelis Palestinians* Foreign
Workers
Israelis in % Total
2009 30,900 7,700 22,000 51% 60,600
2010 30,600 8,300 22,000 50.3% 60,900
2011 26,500 9,000 23,700 44.8% 59,200
2012 23,100 10,300 23,000 41% 56,400
2013 26,000 11,400 22,000 43.6% 59,400
2014 23,500 12,500 22,400 40.2% 58,400
2015 22,100 13,200 20,600 39.5% 55,900
58
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/shnaton/templ_shnaton.html?num_tab=st19_09&CYear=2016 see
remark in footnote 15.
2016 22,740 17,200 26,600 34.2% 66,540
*including seasonal workers
The share of Israeli employee jobs continues to decline. In 2016 the number of
employee Jobs held by Israelis grow for the first time since 2013, yet the growth is
much smaller than the growth in employee jobs held by not Israelis.
In 2016 when including the Israeli part time jobs and the seasonal Palestinian and
foreign workers, we can see a growth in the total number of employee jobs in
agriculture.
It should be noted that the Agriculture sector suffers from a continuance crisis. In
recent years there is a hard competition in the EU markets, the Russian market that
was in recent years a growing export market for Israeli agriculture product, but since
the fall in the rate of the Russian ruble, farmers found it hard to handle with the loss
of markets abroad. The employers organizations in the agriculture sector demanded in
recent years the cancelation of the levy on employment of TMW in agriculture and a
right to increase the deductions from TMW for housing and services, on January 2016
the employer's levy in agriculture was canceled, on May 2017 the Knesset approved
the increase in the deduction from the TMW in agriculture.
The work of foreign students in agriculture
Although there is a quota in the agriculture sector and by government decision the
work in this sector is limited to foreign workers who were recruited through a bilateral
agreement. Alongside to the quotas workers, several thousands of foreign students are
working in this sector. Till recent years the number of foreign agriculture students was
always around couple of hundreds, but in 2013-2016 the number increased sharply
and it is estimated today in about 5,000 (in 2010 there were only 750).59
The
Immigration Authority estimated the number of agriculture students in the last 20
years in 20,000 students from 26 countries. The Foreign ministry sees the agriculture
student project as a significant project in the bilateral relationship between Israel and
developing countries in Asia, Africa, South and Middle America.
A foreign agriculture student come to Israel for a period of 11 months and pays a
student fee (11,000 NIS). The student visa holders in those programs which are being
59
Michal Tajar, "Kav Laoved", interview, 31/07/2017.
given through private companies in the agriculture sector or by regional council
development companies come from a variety of states in Asia, South America and
Africa. Most of them have graduated a first degree in they're countries.
A report made by "Kav LaOved" point out that the students are working for at least 4
days a week (some students reported they work 6 days a week), and study one day.
They are being paid 17 NIS an hour (less than the minimum wage). There is no quota
for students and every farmer can employ as much as he can (some companies limit
the number of students up to 8 students to every farmer).
The rise in the number of programs for students, their widespread geographical
deployment and the rising number of students within these programs, along with the
fact that, in effect, these are workers who pay for the privilege of participating in
these programs and who earn less than the minimum wage, teach us that the programs
have become a bypass route for importing workers by permit as part of the bilateral
agreements and under the supervision given to these workers.
On July 2015 appeal to the court against agro-studies the international center for
agriculture students in Israel was submitted. In the appeal it is claimed that the
company is not really giving agriculture studies or vocational training but is simply
using its students as a work force in agriculture.60
Temporary Migrant Workers in the caregiving sector
At the end of 2016, Israel had 49,156 (2015: 45,632) TMW in home care sector with a
valid visa and another 11,317 (2015:11,800) TMW without a valid visa in the sector,
who entered Israel legally. There is no cap on the number of foreign workers in the
caregiving sector.
The government has taken several steps to encourage the employment of Israelis in
this sector, including adding on care hours61
for eligible persons under the Nursing
Care Law who employ Israelis. However, in 2016 as in the years before the
government has not taken other steps necessary to encourage Israelis to work in the
sector, and in 2016 like in 2011-2015 the entry of a significant number of legal
foreign workers and of asylum seekers staying in Israel under group protection who
are employed both legally and illegally in institutional care frameworks continued.
60
In Hebrew: http://www.kavlaoved.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/לקריאת-התובענה-לחץ-כאן.pdf 61
The eligibility for a nursing care allowance is given in the form of care hours in the patient's home or
at community centers.
At the end of June 2017, Israel had 49,100 (June 2016: 47,891) TMW in home care
sector with a valid visa and another 13,058 (11,273) without a valid visa who entered
Israel legally. The number of TMW in hoe care sector are constantly growing but
there is a lot of ongoing problems that characterize this sector, while the number of
entering workers is in constant growth so is the number of workers losing their status
and departure of workers. So while the demand is in growth, at the same time, the
phenomenon of increased entry and exit of care workers continues, due to the
importation of new workers and deportation of unregulated workers, instead of
investing in arranging the status of workers who are already staying in the country.
The phenomenon of workers abuse is very common in this sector; both labor and
sexual abuse of workers mainly women by employer's and their family members. As
it was in recent years the inspection of the sector is insufficient and dangerous both
for TMW in the sectors and for employers who are dependable people.
Also in 2016-2017 no significant steps were taken to encourage the employment of
Israelis in the sector, and their number is gradually decreasing. Among Israeli care
workers in the home and institutional segments, the share of women who emigrated
from the former Soviet Union in the years 1990-2001 is notable. The aging of this
population is intensifying the shortage of Israeli workers in this sector. The lack of
initiative from the side of the government creates a growing shortage of local
manpower in the nursing, care and home care sector.
Table 32: TMW in Home Care sector 2010-2017
With valid visa Whiteout valid
visa
total
2010 43,499 10,209 53,708
2011 42,349 10,123 52,472
2012 41,260 10,069 51,329
2013 40,484 11,993 52,477
2014 43,468 11,324 54,792
2015 45,632 11,800 57,432
2016 49,156 11,317 60,473
06.2017 49,100 13,058 62,158
After a short period of decline the number of TMW in home care between 2010 and
2012, the number of TMW in home care started to increase again. In 2014 the number
reached a new record and since than the number is increasing every year.
The main origin countries of the foreign workers haven't changed much in recent
years. There were 7 main source countries (more than 1,000 TWM) between 2011 and
2014 and 8 IN 2015. More than 95% of all TWM in home care come from those
countries, all Asian and European Countries. The Philippines are still the major origin
country with 37% of all the TWM in home care. India is the second main origin
country with 20.3%. In recent years those two countries are the source countries for
more than 55% of the home care TWM.
Table 33: The main origin countries of TMW in Home Care 2011-2016(more
than 1,000 workers in 2016)
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
The
Philippines
20,002 20,676 20,314 20,588 21,274 22,829
India 6,744 7,478 8,665 10,186 11,622 12,121
Moldova 7,802 7,786 8,056 8,541 9,025 9,767
Sri Lanka 4,238 4,686 5,214 5,641 8,507 5,685
Nepal 6,644 5,934 5,436 4,765 4,220 3,830
Ukraine 1,494 1,483 1,508 1,654 1,895 2,096
Uzbekistan 498 567 709 934 1,229 1,900
Romania 1,528 1,321 1,253 1,165 1,056 931
Main
Countries
Total
48,950 49,931 51,155 53,474 56,128 59,159
Total in
Home
Care
52,472 51,329 52,477 54,792 57,432 60,473
Specialists and skilled TMW (experts working visa)
Apart from low-skilled workers in the construction, agriculture and caregiving
sectors, Israel also allows the entry of foreign specialists, this category includes since
2015, also TMW who are skilled industrial and restaurant workers and were till 2015
in separate quotas. There is no quota for specialist and skilled workers, there are some
categories as medical doctors who work in hospitals, foreign journalists and artists,
academics, diamond merchants, Managers or trusted employee of a foreign or
international company, and another category for workers who are being paid dabble
the average wage (18,680 NIS).62
At the end of 2016, Israel had 4,627 (2015: 3,358) specialists and skilled TMW with a
valid visa and 851 (2015: 784) without a valid visa, who entered Israel legally. At the
end of June 2017, Israel had 5,389 (June 2016: 3,851) specialists and skilled TMW
with a valid visa and 788 (775) specialists and skilled TMW without a valid visa. In
recent years the number of Specialist and skilled TMW is in a trend of growing.
Specialist and skilled TMW get Permit for two years instead of one year permits as all
other TMW. Another policy change was the official permission to give foreign
Specialist workers permits that are not limited to 5 years.
Daily Workers in Hotels
Since 2014 there is a quota is for 1,500 Jordanian workers in hotels in Eilat. As the
300 Jordanian construction workers in Eilat, the hotel workers are daily workers.
2.2 Main policy changes and developments in 2016-2017 in
respect of TMW in Israel
Government decisions63
Decision 1321, March 24 201664
To allow in addition to the Turkish company Yilmezlar International, the entrance of
5 international construction companies to work in Israel in project of constructing for
62
https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/policy/experts_procedure_short_version/he/abstract_procedure_foreign
_expert_employment_permits.pdf 63
Some Government decisions are being discussed not here but separately in this chapter. 64
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/des1321.aspx
housing project. Every company will be able to bring to Israel up to 1,000 employers
(out of the existing quota).
Decision 1759, July 31 201665
Israel doesn’t allow the family reunification of TMW. TMW can work for years in
Israel and yet other then children that were born in Israel to a TMW during his legal
stay in Israel and can stay till the end of his legal stay with him, the stay doesn’t allow
any other kind of family reunion. The new decision is a significant precedent.
According to the decision the family partners of expert workers in the Hitech industry
and the academy will be entitled to receive a stay and working visa. It should be noted
that till September 2017 the regulations required to implement the Government's
decision were not amended.
Decision 2292, January 15 2017:66
The new national plan: to increase the skilled manpower in the high-tech Industry
which includes some decisions about specialist and skilled high-tech TMW.
500 foreigner graduates of Israeli academic institute in high-tech professions
will be able to work in Israel up to one year from the graduation and can be
paid less them the minimum wage of a TMW with an expert visa.
Although the national plan focuses in Israeli emigrants and people who are
entitled to Israeli citizenship the government will take measures to increase the
use of specialist and skilled TMW in the fields of high-tech. and increase the
accessibility of local high-tech companies to the possibility of skilled TMW
employment.
Researchers in the fields of high-tech will be able to work in private
companies as academic researchers.
Amendment 20 in foreign workers law
On July 2017 a new amendment in the foreign workers law was empowered. Under
the conditions of the amendment, the Minister of Interior was given the authority not
to grant a permit or renew a permit for a permit holder to employ a foreign worker if
the former was convicted of offenses defined as serious against a foreign worker and
65
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1759.aspx 66
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2017/Pages/des2292.aspx
also not to renew, for up to 18 months, a permit for a permit holder suspected of
serious offences.
Deposits for Foreign Workers
Every construction corporation must make a monthly deposit of 700 NIS into an
account which is in the worker’s name. This money is a payment that is a substitute
for pension contributions/severance pay. The worker receives this money in cash at
the airport when leaving the country permanently. If the worker does not leave the
country within one month of the expiration of his visa, money begins to be
automatically deducted from the account up to a full deduction within 6 months.
Today the deposit exists only in the construction sector, on July 2015 the Economy
minister and the interior minister finalized the regulation offer for deposit in the
sectors of construction and home care.67
The deposit in the home care sector is only
partly paid on the part of the TMW that is being paid b nursing companies. In the
agriculture sector another attempt to apply the deposit on employers in agriculture
failed in June 2017.
Deduction from TMW by employers
On June 2017 the legal deduction for housing, general expenses and health insurance
that employers of TMW can deduct from the TMW worker wages were raised.68
The
deductions in the agriculture sector are limited to 300 NIS for housing and general
expenses and another 134 NIS for health insurance.
Tax benefit cancelation for TMW
At a time when the deposits into accounts have not been regularized and the
deductions from wages have gone up, it was finally decided that foreign workers
would not be given the 2.25 credit points that are automatically granted to every
resident of Israel as has been the case in the past. As a result, another NIS 362 is
deducted from the wages of foreign workers every month. This abolition of the
residents' credit points that in the past was automatically granted to foreign workers is
another worsening in the work conditions of foreign workers that stems from the fact
67
In Hebrew: http://www.piba.gov.il/PublicationAndTender/pr/Pages/130715.aspx 68
In Hebrew:
https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/generalpage/foreign_workers_rights_booklets/he/Zchuton_ENG_0817_
1.pdf https://www.nevo.co.il/law_html/law01/P178_005.htm#Seif4
that their status has been unlinked from that of workers who are Israeli residents as
had been the case in the past.
Changes in foreign worker quotas
Since 2013 the governments changed sharply the policy of the recent years. For the
first time since 2002 the quotas in the main sectors of foreign workers were increased
and new quotas (hotel industry, High-tech and a special quota for one national
project) were established. In 2015 the government raised the quota of construction
workers to 20,000 workers (G.D. 317) and then lowered it to 16,500 in 2016 (G.D.
1236).69
In 2017 the government signed a bilateral agreement with China to bring up
to 20,000 construction workers (in the first stage new 6,000 TMW) and gave permit
for 6 international construction companies to work in Israel with up to 1,000 workers
each (the first company got her permit to start working in Israel on July 2017).
There is a new quota for high-tech students that allows up to 500 graduates to work in
Israel for one year after graduation and the agriculture minister is planning a rise in
the quota of seasonal workers. The trend of higher quotas continued in 2016/2017
parallel to the increase trend in home care and skilled workers numbers. Employer's
organizations are pressuring the government to raise quotas, create new quotas and
lower the taxes on TMW employers.
Regulation of foreign workers' status
Despite the shortage of foreign workers, primarily in the caregiving sector, regulation
of the status of foreign workers who have lost their legal status was and remains
negligible. The Population and Immigration Authority regulated in every month the
status of only a few workers, compared to which several dozens of foreign workers
whose status was not regulated were deported every month.
Employment of foreign workers in the caregiving sector
The total number of foreign workers increased in 2016-2017, as it was in 2014-2016 it
is a new trend after the decline in 2009-2013 (Table 34). The number of the workers
69
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1236.aspx
increased in 2013 for the first time since 2008 and the trend of growth continue since
then.
Table 34: Foreign Care Workers by Status 2011-2017
TMW with a valid
permit
TMW without a valid
permit
Total
2009 43,836 13,199 57,035
2010 43,499 10,209 53,708
2011 42,349 10,123 52,472
2012 41,260 10,069 51,329
2013 40,484 11,993 52,477
2014 43,468 11,324 54,792
2015 45,632 11,800 57,432
2016 49,156 11,317 60,473
06.2017 49,100 13,058 62,158
Since 2012 the number of TMW in home care sector increased in more than 10,000
workers.
Table 35: Holders of a Permit to Employ a Foreign Worker (caregiver)
Year Number of
permit holders
Year Number of
permit holders
1996 8,187 2011 56,062
1999 14,474 2012 58,491
2002 38,438 2013 57,110
2005 37,419 2014 53,638
2007 50,500 2015 58,101
2008 54,000 2016 60,839
2009 57,329 03.2017 61,560
2010 56,887
The number of permit holders rose sharply between 2005 and 2009 (about 20,000),
since 2009 the total number of permit holders increased in less than 1,000. There was
a significant decrease (about 5,000) in the years 2013-2014 and then started a new
trend of increase (about 8,000).
Table 36: Holders of a Permit to Employ a TWM caregiver by Gender and
groups 2010-2017
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 03/2017
0-18 1,534 1,451 1,431 1,386 1,302 1,331 1,207 1,183
Women
19-64
3,067 2,804 2,829 2,745 2,572 2,685 2,611 2,621
Man
19-67
3,299 3,457 3,468 3,466 3,299 3,492 3,383 3,627
Women
65+
34,093 33,800 35,780 34,701 32,557 35,273 37,069 37,620
Man
65+
14,551 14,281 14,983 14,812 13,908 15,320 16,569 16,509
The biggest group among permit holder is women over 65 years old. Among minors
and women between the ages of 19 and 64 there is a slight reduce, and among the man
between the ages of 19 and 67 and women above 65, there was a slight growth.
Table 37: total numbers of Permit holders and TMW caregivers 2010-2017
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 03.2017
workers 53,708 53,472 51,449 51,329 54,792 56,956 60,473 62,158
Permit
holders
56,887 55,793 58,491 57,110 53,638 58,101 60,839 61,560
There was not always a correlation between the growth of in the number of permit
holders and the number of TWM, not all permit holders employ TMW or TMW with
a valid permit, not all the TMW have a valid permit.
Table 38: usage of Permits for TMW caregivers and status of TMW caregivers
2016 2017
Total number of Permit
holders
60,839 61,560
Permit holders who
employ TMW
45,250 45,216
Share of permit holders 74.7% 73.4%
who employ TMW
Total number of TMW 60,473 62,158
TMW with a valid visa 49,156 49,520
Share of TMW with valid
visa
81.2% 79.6%
There is a significant part of permit holders who are not employing TMW and a
parallel significant part of the TMW who have no valid visa. It is estimated that part
of both groups employ and being employed with no active (employers) or valid
(employee) status.
Changes in procedures relating to care workers:
The Population and Immigration Authority allow care workers to go on
vacation abroad also during a period when they have no employer.
A new regulation procedure for foreign home care workers allows workers that
are in Israel more than 5 years and less than 7 years to work for one last
employer.70
For the past three years there have been restrictions on the movement of
workers between geographic regions. However, in June 2017, some of these
restrictions on movement of workers between regions were lifted. According
to the regulations put into place by the Minister of the Interior, in the case of
the death of an employer or the move of an employer to a nursing home, the
worker is allowed to find a new employer in a different geographical area than
the one he worked in previously. On the other hand, a worker who was
dismissed or resigned from his job may not transfer from one area to another.
Employment of seasonal agricultural workers
Alongside the gradual reduction in foreign worker quotas in the agriculture sector, the
government of Israel implemented since 2010 a pilot program for examining the
possibility of employing seasonal workers in agriculture. In view of the pilot's
success, the government decided in its meeting on September 14, 2011 (Decision
371371
) to continue the program and to allow workers who were employed in Israel in
70
In Hebrew: http://www.piba.gov.il/Subject/ForeignWorkers/siod/Pages/Siud_Center.aspx 71
In Hebrew http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMO/Secretarial/Decisions/2011/09/ des3713.htm.
the framework of the pilot in. An agreement was signed between the governments of
Israel and Sri Lanka regulating the importation of seasonal agricultural workers.
In March 2016 a new gov. decision (1406) to allow the entrance of 500 workers from
Sri Lanka for a 4 to 8 months period in the years 2016-2018 (with the possibility of
extension till 2020).72
Till the end of September 2017 a bilateral agreement with Sri
Lanka was not yet signed and ratified. There is a new plan to raise the quota from 500
to 2,000 that the ministry of agriculture plans to approve in the government.
There is a constant growth in the number of seasonal workers, yet the quota was never
fulfilled.
Encouragement of the employment of Israeli workers in foreign-worker-
intensive sectors
During 2016-2017 there was no significant improvement in connection with the
training of Israeli workers in foreign-worker-intensive sectors. In the caregiving
sector, despite the worsening shortage in Israeli workers in the institutional and home
care segments, no meaningful steps were taken to encourage the entry of Israeli
workers to this sector, and, in fact, there has been a regression due to the aging and
retirement of a part of the population of workers in the sector. The level of
unemployment in Israel is low (about 5%) and while there is an interest for Courses in
construction or seasonal work in agriculture, the government is not taking significant
measures to encourage young Israeli to enter those field of labour.
In the construction sector, the government accepted a new resolution in March 2016
(Gov. Res. 1320) to promote initiatives under the responsibility of the housing and the
labor ministries to encourage and train Israeli workers in needed professions. For the
years 2016-2020 the government plans the training of 3,500 qualified workers, 2,500
site managers and 500 crane workers.73
Integration of foreign workers in Israel
The State of Israel does not regard itself as an immigration country and does not allow
the naturalization of temporary foreign workers (except for those who married an
Israeli spouse or received a status by virtue of their children receiving a status), nor
72
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1416.aspx 73
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/des1320.aspx
does it allow them to stay in Israel beyond the period specified in the law (63
months), except in cases that are expressly excluded in the law, the regulations or the
procedures of the Population and Immigration Authority.
In 2016-2017, as in 2012-2016 the staying period of foreign workers in agriculture
and construction was longer than 63 months due to the shortage in recruitment of new
foreign workers through the bilateral agreement system,74
in the home care sector
there are at least some hundreds of workers who are working legally more than 63
months. Although some of does workers are living in Israel for 6 years and more there
are no integration programs even for this population.
The Population and Immigration Authority published in 2013 an official rights
handbook for the foreign worker. Since then the Immigration Authority is renewing
the publication yearly.75
The head of section in charge of foreign worker's rights at
work (economy ministry) published between 2013 and 2016 some handbook in
several languages (among them: Turkish, Urdu).76
It should be noted that foreign workers in Israel have a private health insurance as
long as they work, but in a case a foreign worker is losing his ability to work due to a
case of severe illness, he will lose his status as a foreign worker and his insurance and
can be deported.
Signature of bilateral agreements for regulating the importation of foreign
construction and agriculture workers
In recent years, several government decisions have determined that in sectors in
which bilateral agreements would be signed between the State of Israel and other
countries regarding the importation of foreign workers from those countries, only
foreign workers from those countries would be brought to Israel to work in those
sectors. Pursuant to those decisions, the government of Israel is acting to sign bilateral
agreements with sending countries of foreign workers. In 2011, the first such
agreement was signed in the agriculture sector (between Israel and Thailand and the
International Organization for Migration), and at the beginning of 2012 the first
74
In Hebrew: http://www.piba.gov.il/FormsAndRegulations/Notice/Documents/1115_extending.pdf 75
ba.gov.il/PublicationAndTender/Publications/Pages/EngInformationforForeignWorkers.ahttp://www.pi
spx 76
It should be noted that only one person is working in this section, the head of section itself.
http://www.economy.gov.il/Employment/WorkRights/UniquePopulations/ForeignWorkers/Pages/defau
lt.aspx
agreement was signed in the construction sector with Bulgaria. The second was
signed with Moldova later that year and the third with Romania in 2014 (the Israeli
government ratified the agreement on August 2014).77
On June 2016 a new agreement
was signed with The Ukraine.78
The government is seeking to replace the importation of workers through private
manpower agencies with the recruitment and importation of workers through the
sending countries or the International Organization Migration. This plan has aroused
the resistance of the private manpower agencies (manpower companies in the
agriculture sector, private agencies in the caregiving sector and corporations in the
construction sector).
Must of the foreign workers in Israel work in home care, although the government
wishes to sign a bilateral agreement in this branch, till today (September 2017) there
efforts to sign such an agreement with the Philippines, Nepal and Sri Lanka, but till
today there is no considerable success.
Since 2005 there is a procedure in the high court against the state due to the lack of
implementation of decisions to bring all the TMW through bilateral agreements. On
August 2016 the high court ordered the state to increase the effort to achieve an
agreement with The Philippines and report to the court till mid-September and after
that every two months.79
Workers who were recruited to work in Israel through bilateral agreements pay much
less recruitment fees. In the agriculture sector the average fee paid by Thai workers
before the agreement was 9,149$, workers who were recruited through the bilateral
agreement pay 2,200$ this payment includes the flying ticket and medical exams. In
the construction sector the average fee paid by Chinese workers was 21,759$, workers
who were recruited through the bilateral agreement pay between 300$ to 500$
(Romania and 310$ Moldova to 504$ Bulgaria). On August 2016 the NGO Workers
Hotline published that there is a new increase of 36% in the average fee being paid by
home care workers. The new average fee being paid is 10,688$.80
77
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2014/Pages/govdec1981.aspx 78
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1924.aspx 79
In Hebrew: http://elyon1.court.gov.il/files/06/050/024/T66/06024050.T66.htm 80
In Hebrew: http://www.kavlaoved.org.il/%D7%A2%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%94-
%D7%93%D7%A8%D7%9E%D7%98%D7%99%D7%AA-
A Hot Line for workers who were recruited through bilateral agreements is being
operated by CIMI (Center for International Migration and Integration) in behalf of the
Immigration Authority. Between 06.2012 and 01.2016 5,112 applications were made
to the Hot Line (about 40,000 phone calls altogether), about 33% were complaints
about payment and wage issue. 90% of the complaints are made by Thai workers.81
The bilateral agreements influence also on other subjects. Data collected from TMW
that were recruited through the bilateral agreement indicates that:
The wages of workers grow and so are the payment for overtime and the reported
tariff for overtime. The number of working hours is lower and the number of paid
vocation days is higher. More workers reported they were provided with safety
equipment. Yet more workers that were recruited through the bilateral agreement
system reported on breach of contract in the terms of labour condition, the absence of
health insurance and not being payed when they are sick.82
All TMW who were requited to work in Israel through a bilateral agreement can
submit complaints to a hot line that is operated by CIMI. Every year a report is
published summering the data about the complaints.83
In the years 2014-2016, 2,981
TMW called the hotline with complaints and questions most of them agriculture
workers. Most complaints are justified and serve as grounds for enforcement.
The agriculture sector
In 2011 an agreement was signed between the government of Israel, the government
of Thailand and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) regulating the
importation of foreign agricultural workers from Thailand through the organization.
Concurrently with the implementation of the agreement, a significant number of
manpower agencies that brokered the employment of foreign workers in the
agriculture sector closed down, resulting in the loss of the entity that was responsible
for the transfer of agricultural workers between employers, which now takes place
%D7%91%D7%A1%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%9D-%D7%93%D7%9E%D7%99-
%D7%94%D7%AA%D7%99%D7%95%D7%95%D7%9A-
%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A2/ 81
http://media.wix.com/ugd/5d35de_de62afa72f684935b83a6f076bce01c4.pdf 82
In Hebrew: CIMI, https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/5d35de_def6017527f945c784fdf203dcfae888.pdf 83
CIMI, https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/5d35de_bdb7ea05cb234cb795436ca0b6437555.pdf
without a brokering entity. The new manpower companies are entitled to charge the
workers 2724.04 NIS a year.84
Since the signing of the agreement and till the end of 2016 22,856 Thai workers were
recruited to in Israel.
The construction sector
Under an agreement signed between the government of Israel and the Association of
Contractors and Builders in Israel, foreign construction workers will be imported to
Israel only in the framework of bilateral agreements between Israel and the sending
countries. The Israeli Government signed an agreement with Bulgaria, Romania
Moldova and China.
Since the signing of the agreement and till the end of 2016 only 1,131 construction
workers from Bulgaria, 236 from Romania and 4,406 from Moldova were recruited
and working in Israel. In the years 2012-2014 the number of TMW requited to work
in Israel was low, less than 1,000 a year, but in 2015-2016 the number of new
requited TMW grow significantly. The new agreements with China and Ukraine
should increase significantly the number of TMW in construction.
The home care sector
On August 2015 an agreement for a pilot program was signed with Nepal. The
program started with the recruitment through CIMI of 59 home care workers in the
first stage and 300 workers in the second stage.85
Another pilot agreement was signed
with Sri- Lanka for 30 TMW in home care in 2017.86
The importance of the bilateral agreements lies in the regulation of the recruitment
and importation of workers from the sending countries to Israel and the eradication of
the illegal collection of mediation fees. Whereas the phenomenon of illegal collection
of mediation fees by brokers has been eradicated in the agriculture and construction
sectors, in the caregiving sector, in which no agreements have been signed, the
phenomenon continues. Care workers from Sri Lanka, for example, pay between
84
In Hebrew:
http://www.piba.gov.il/Subject/ForeignWorkers/ForeignWorkers/Documents/03032014.pdf 85
In Hebrew: http://mfa.gov.il/MFAHEB/PressRoom/Spokesman/Pages/Agreement-caregivers-from-
Nepal.aspx 86
In Hebrew: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/5d35de_def6017527f945c784fdf203dcfae888.pdf
10,000 and 16,000 dollars in unlawful mediation fees, partly in the country of Origin
and partly in Israel. In 2016-2017, more and more workers reported they pay most of
the illegal fees in Israel.87
A new phenomenon being reported is another fee being
demanded in Israel from workers who have lost their employer and need a new one.
According to CIMI, since the signing of bilateral agreements, TMW in construction
and agriculture saved 192 million US dollars in comparison to what they would have
been demanded to pay before.88
Table 39: TMW who were recruited thorough bilateral agreements89
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Total
Agriculture 2,137 5,783 4,680 5,717 4,539 22,856
Construction 764 554 773 2,452 1,327 5,773
Total 2,901 6,238 5,453 8,171 5,866 28,629
There is no trend in the requiting of TMW through bilateral agreements. While in
agriculture the recruiting though the agreement answers to the needs of the employers,
till the end of 2016 it failed to do so in the construction sector.
The enforcement Unit in the Population and Immigration Authority
In the course of 2012 the two enforcement arms of the Population and Immigration
Authority – the enforcement unit, responsible for supervising employers (imposition
of fines and institution of administrative proceedings against employers who violated
foreign workers' rights), and the Oz unit, responsible for locating illegal foreign
workers, their detention for a hearing and removal from Israel – were consolidated.
The work of the consolidated unit is focused mainly on enforcement against foreign
workers rather than employers, and it includes: examination of foreign workers' legal
status, detention of illegal foreign workers (including asylum seekers) and foreign
workers who are not in compliance with the terms of their permit and bringing them
for a hearing, and the removal of illegal foreign workers from Israel. In recent years
the unit focuses also on employers of people who infiltrated Israel.
As a result of the consolidation of the enforcement arms, enforcement action against
employers of foreign workers has been significantly reduced. Furthermore, the
87
Idit Laibowitz, Kav Laoved, Interview, 04/08/2015. 88
http://media.wix.com/ugd/5d35de_4832bf9bb88949cda80600a012af4a3d.pdf 89
In Hebrew: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/5d35de_def6017527f945c784fdf203dcfae888.pdf
number of fines that were imposed on employers decreased significantly. In the
number of criminal indictment against employers there is also an ongoing trend of
decline from 780 cases of indictment in 2010 to 164 in 2014.
Table 40: Administrative enforcement by the Immigration Authority90
Sum of
financial
sanctions
Financial
sanctions
(Administrative
fine)
Initiated
investigations
18,474,750 1,635 1,697 2011
16,570,000 1,740 1,460 2012
12,893,000 1,598 1,535 2013
13,312,000 1,394 670 2014
13,165,500 1,330 976 2015
11,645,500 1,048 887 2016
4,997,500 430 393 01-06.2017
There is continues trend of decline in the number of investigations and financial
sanctions against employers of TMW.
Table 41: Criminal Procedure against employers of TMW in Court91
Indictment Verdict Financial
Sanctions
2014 163 164 10,029,397
2015 147 151 7,079,536
2016 100 95 3,229,640
01-06.2017 69 61 1,994,069
The decline trend in the criminal procedures continued in 2016/2017.
90
In Hebrew
, tat/Documents/561353new.pdfhttp://www.piba.gov.il/PublicationAndTender/ForeignWorkersS
http://www.piba.gov.il/PublicationAndTender/ForeignWorkersStat/Documents/sum2015_final.pdf 91
In Hebrew:
http://www.piba.gov.il/PublicationAndTender/ForeignWorkersStat/Documents/july2015.pdf
Human Rights and workers organization claim for years that the enforcement unit
lacks effectiveness and that the working and housing conditions of foreign workers
mainly in the agriculture sector abusive.92
Application of the Law on Hours of Work and Rest for foreign workers in the
fields of home nursing care
In 2009, the High Court of Justice, in its decision on case 1687/07 made an exception
for foreign workers in nursing care with regard to the application of the Law on Hours
of Work and Rest. This exception was all-embracing and raised a number of issues,
among which were the rights of foreign workers in the nursing-care sector to benefit
from payment for overtime work (the original issue which came before the Court) but
also on their right to have a weekly day of rest. This matter came up again in a legal
procedure which has been under way for several years. In the present procedure, the
Court was presented with the Attorney General's opinion which determined that
foreign workers are entitled to a weekly day of rest as a basic right. Nevertheless, the
Attorney General noted that the inter-ministerial task force recommended that the
Minister of Economy pass regulations that the duration of the day of rest of a nursing-
care worker should not be less than 25 consecutive hours (as in the case of
institutional nursing care workers who are exempted from the 36 consecutive hours
weekly rest as determined in the Law on Hours of Work and Rest).
On July 07 2016 the national labor court decided that the weekly day of rest for
people working in home care will be 25 hours and not 36 hours.93
It should be noted
that the current law allow the minister of labor to shorten the 36 hours to 25.
Increase in the number of fatal work accidents in the construction sector94
Since 2014, the trend of more fatal work accidents in general and in their number and
rate in the construction sector. Most of the casualties are TMW and Palestinians.
Since the beginning of 2016 there is more public awareness to the subject. 2016 was a
record year in deadly accidents. Till the end of August 2017 20 construction workers
92
http://www.hrw.org/report/2015/01/21/raw-deal/abuse-thai-workers-israels-agricultural-sector
http://www.kavlaoved.org.il/en/new-kav-laoved-report-below-the-minimum/ 93
In Hebrew: http://www.psakdin.co.il/Court/1068604#.V-TAKvArKUk 94
In Hebrew:
http://economy.gov.il/Publications/PressReleases/Pages/AnnualOccupationalAccidentsReport2014.asp
x
most of them TMW and Palestinian daily workers were killed in fatal work accidents.
Professional bodies and organizations for workers' and civil rights attribute the
increase in the cases of fatal work accidents in the sector to faulty enforcement, lack
of training for working at height, lack of safety equipment and appropriate work
equipment and the long working hours of foreign workers in the sector. There is more
public awareness to the lack of sufficient enforcement of security in construction
sites, yet the government has not find sufficient solutions to handle with the
phenomenon.
Working Holiday Visa
Between 2012 and 2017, Israel signed Work and Holiday Visa Agreements with
several states among them: Australia, South Korea and Germany the Czech Republic
and New Zealand.
Table 42: Working Holiday Visa Holders in Israel 2016-2017
State of Origin 2016 01-03.2017 Total
Australia 1 1 2
Germany 32 14 46
Korea 2 3 5
New Zealand 5 0 5
Czech Republic 1 2 3
Total 41 20 61
It is early to determine trends but the total numbers of working holiday visa in Israel
are very low.
Canceling the need for visa and regulating the right to work of diplomatic stuff
families
During 2016/2017 Israel continued to signed and ratify agreements with other states
about canceling the need of diplomatic staff families to have a visa (China,
Botswana), and allowing diplomatic staff families to work in Israel (Turkey, Ukraine,
Guatemala).95
Enforcement of the prohibition of TMW couplehood96
The regulations of the Immigration Authority forbid couplehood between foreign
workers staying in Israel holding a work permit at the same time. During 2016/2017,
there was considerably greater enforcement of this policy. The Immigration Authority
approached the private bureaus with a request to receive information. Similarly, as
soon as a female foreign worker has a child, the Immigration Authority demands that
one of the parents leave Israel even if there are no relations between the parents. In
some cases affidavits were demanded from the workers and their employers affirming
that the workers do not have a partner.
95
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/des1179.aspx
http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1084.aspx
http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2017/Pages/des2309.aspx 96
Michal Tajar, Kav laOved, interview, 31/07/2017
3. Palestinian Workers in Israel
Since the end of the 60's of the last century Palestinian work in Israel as daily
workers. Through the last decades there were different trends that were connected to
and influenced by the political and international relationship. In recent years the trend
is a substantial increase in the number of daily Palestinian workers.
3.1 Data97
2016
At the end of 2016 67,008 (2014: 46,503, 2015 51,781) Palestinians holding
permanent work permits and another 3,789 (2014: 5,229, 2015: 6,373 ) holders of
seasonal work permits were employed in Israel. The increase in the number of permit
holders continued through the whole year. 11.9% (2015: 11.7%) of the Palestinian
employed persons work in Israel and the Israeli Settlements.98
Between the years 2000 and 2011, the percentage of Palestinian workers in Israel
dropped by 70% (from 100,000 in 2000 to 30,000 in 2011). Nonetheless, since 2012
there is a constant rise in the number of Palestinians working in Israel under a permit,
mainly in the construction industry. Between 2011 and 2016 the quota's for
Palestinian workers increased to 68,900. The number of permit holders dabbled
between the end of 2011 and the end of 2016 and is growing staidly. It should be
noted that there is a decline in the share and utilization of seasonal permits.
Almost all the Palestinian workers in Israel are at least 22 years old and married, due
to security demands. Only Palestinian daily workers in east Jerusalem and hospitals in
Israel are exempt from being married and can be only 21 years old. Only 16,000
Palestinian workers with a regular (not seasonal) permit can stay in Israel overnight,
all of them are at least 22 years old and married.
97
Data in this Chapter is based on the Defense Ministry Civil Administration, Emails, 04/07/2016,
05/07/2017 other sources are mentioned in the specific tables.
98
Labour Force Survey 2015, Press release,
http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/portals/_pcbs/PressRelease/Press_En_LFS2015E.pdf
http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/portals/_pcbs/PressRelease/Press_En_16-12-2017-LF-en.pdf
2017
As of 31.03.2017 66,891 (30.06.2016: 53,879) Palestinians holding permanent work
permits and 2624 (5,687) holders of seasonal work permits were employed in Israel,
another increase in the total number of active permit holders (more workers with
permanent permit).
Table 43: Quotas of Palestinian workers in Israel in recent years
Permanent quota Seasonal quota total
12/2011 25,000 5,000 30,000
12/2012 39,300 8,050 47,350
12/2013 44,300 7,150 51,450
12/2014 48,900 7,950 56,850
06/2015 48,900 5,550 54,450
12/2015 52,900 8,250 61,150
03/2016 54,980 5,920 60,900
06/2016 56,980 6,420 63,400
12/2016 68,900 5,500 74,400
03/2017 76,000 3,500 79,500
06/2017 77,300 3,000 80,300
Between the end of 2011 and the first quarter of 2017 there was a constant increase in
the quota of Palestinian workers mainly in the field of construction. Every year since
2012 the governments had a decision to increase the quota of construction workers99
.
In March 2016 in Gov. Decision 1236 the government decided to reduce the quota of
construction foreign workers and to add a new quota of Palestinian workers,
according to the new Decision till the end of 2016 the quota of Palestinian workers in
construction was raised in 7,000 workers and the quota of Palestinian workers in the
Atarot industry zone (North Jerusalem) grow in another 800 workers.100
99
in Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2012/Pages/des4970.aspx
http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2012/Pages/des5241.aspx
In December 2016, in Gov. Decision 2174, the quota was raised again in another
22,000 till the end of 2017.101
Table 44: Total number of Palestinian permit holders in Israel 2011-03.2017
From the
permanent quota
From the
seasonal quota
total
12/2011 26,020 4,877 30,897
12/2012 31,801 5,588 37,389
12/2013 37,748 4,983 42,731
06/2014 42,676 3,857 46,533
12/2014 46,503 5,229 51,732
06/2015 46,117 4,617 50,734
12/2015 51,781 6,373 58,154
03/2016 52,536 5,689 58,225
06/2016 53,879 5,687 59,536
12/2016 63,2019 3,789 67,008
03/2017 66,891 2,624 69,533
Table 45: Percentage of utilized quota (total) 2011-03.2017
Total Quota Permit Holders Percentage of
realization
12/2011 30,000 30,897 103%
12/2012 47,350 37,389 72.2%
12/2013 51,450 42,731 82.3%
06/2014 49,250 46,533 94.1%
http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2013/Pages/des733.aspx
http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2014/Pages/des2033.aspx
http://www.pmo.gov.il/secretary/GovDecisions/2015/Pages/dec317.aspx 100
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1236.aspx 101
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec2174.aspx
12/2014 56,850 51,732 91%
06/2015 54,450 50,734 93.2%
12/2015 61,150 58,154 95.1%
03/2016 60,900 58,225 95.6%
06/2016 63,400 59,536 94%
12/2016 74,400 67,008 90.2%
03/2017 79,500 69,533 87.5%
The Utilization share of the quota record was in the first quarter of 2016. Between
then and the first quarter of 2017 there was a sharp decline in the rate of utilization.
Yet the total number of workers grows in 11,000 workers. The main reasons for the
decline were the seasonal agriculture low utilization of permits and the outgoing
procedure for granting permits after Gov. Decision 2174 from December 2016.
As of March 2017 the quota's for permanent Palestinian workers was 82,000
(03.2016: 60,900) But only 69,533 (58,225) were actually utilized. 52,423 (41,328)
Palestinian workers are employed in construction, 7,590 (4,798) in agriculture and
2,129 (2,192) in industry. 2,642 (4,617) Palestinians hold a permit for seasonal work
in agriculture. In addition, 4,292 (4,218) Palestinian residents of the West Bank hold a
permit to work in East Jerusalem. The most substantial growth was in the construction
sector, there was a growth also in the number of workers in the agriculture sector.
Aside from Palestinian workers who hold a permit to work in Israel, there are several
thousand Palestinians who have entered Israel without a permit and are designated as
illegal residents (table 50).
In comparison to 2015-2016 there was an increase in the quota and an increase in the
total number of active permit holders. The same tendency of 2012-2016 continues
with another increase in the total number of active permit holders (with the change of
having again also more workers with seasonal permit, parallel to more workers with
permanent permit).
Palestinian workers in Israel are mainly day laborers, and they enter Israel through the
border crossings between Israel and the West Bank. Every Palestinian worker is
issued a work permit by the Civil Administration of the Defense Ministry which
serves as an entry permit to Israel for purposes of work.
Table 46: Quota's and permit holders 2016-2017 (01-03/2017) for Palestinian workers
with a yearly permit (without east Jerusalem)
2016
quota
2016
permits
2016
Used quota
2017
quota
2017
permits
2017
Used quota
Constructions 54,100 48,281 89.7% 58,100 52,423 90.3%
Industry and
Service
2,250 2,162 96% 4,450 2129 48%
Agriculture 14,750 11,833 80.1% 14,000 10,232 73.4%
Health Sector 270 248 91.9% 270 248 91.9%
Total 71,370 62524 87.7% 76,820 65,032 84.7%
During 2016, it can be shown that the number of Palestinian permit holders increased
significantly, mainly during the second half of the year. During the first quarter of 2017 in all
the sectors the number of workers increased, but the percentage of used permits declined.
There is a gap between the growth in the quota and the utilization, since the growth in the
quota that was decided on in Gov. Decision 2174 was for the whole year it can be assumed
that by the end of the year the share of permit holders will raise as it was in recent years.
Table 47: Palestinian with Seasonal Permit yearly trend 2012-2017102
Unuse quota Permits Quota
30.6% 5,588 8,050 12/2012
30.3% 4,983 7,150 12/2013
33.9% 5,229 7,950103
12/2014
16.8% 4,617 5,550 06/2015
102
The seasonal Permits are given for work in those main fields: Plantations, Olives, Almond and
Strawberry, vegetables. 103
The Immigration Authority stated that the seasonal permit quota for 2014 war 8,150 and not 7,950.
In Hebrew: http://www.piba.gov.il/PublicationAndTender/Documents/FOI2014.pdf
27.5% 5,531 7,650 09/2015
21.7% 6,473 8,250 12/2015
3.8% 5,689 5,920 03/2016
12% 5,409 6,150 06/2016
31% 3,789 5,500 12/2016
25% 2,624 3,500 03/2017
The quotas for seasonal workers are in decline since the end of 2015. Although the numbers
change between the quarters and the different seasonal quotas, it is clear that the total number
of seasonal quota is in decline and the utilization of the quota is also lower. There is a higher
quota for permanent quotas in the agriculture sector.
Table 48: Palestinians from the west bank with a working permit in Jerusalem
2016-2017 (01-03.2017)
2016
quota
2016
permits
2016
Used
quota
2017
quota
2017
permits
2017
Used
quota
Health East
Jerusalem
1,980 1,865 94.2% 1980 1848 93.3%
Hotels East
Jerusalem
300 196 65.3% 300 208 69.3%
Industry East
Jerusalem
2,350 2,275 96.8% 2,350 2,275 96.8%
Total 4,630 4,336 93.9% 4,630 4,331 93.9%
Between the first half of 2016 and second half of the year, there was another small
decline in the utilization of the quotas for Palestinian workers from the west bank in East
Jerusalem but no changes in the quota itself. There was slight decline I the number and
rate of workers in the first quarter of 2017. As it was in recent years the numbers and
percentage of Palestinian permit holders remained very high.
Table 49: Palestinians with Work Permits Employed by Israelis in Judea and
Samaria 2011-2017
Construction Services Industry &
Agriculture
total
2011 12,674 3,173 6,165 23,499
2012 11,999 3,284 6,578 22,959
2013 13,399 3,597 6,535 24,812
2014 13,735 3,915 7,206 25,817
06/2015 14,339 4,230 7,753 26,456
12/2015 14,348 4,291 8,422 27,061
03/2016 14,265 4,387 8,980 27,632
06/2016 14,533 4,527 8,373 28,235
12/2016 15,166 4,699 9,696 29,561
03/2017 15,765 4,784 9,831 30,380
In addition to the Palestinians working in Israel, Palestinian workers are also employed in
Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Since the decline in the number of Palestinian workers
employed by Israelis in Judea and Samaria between 2011 and 2012 there is a constant growth
in the number of those workers, yet this growth is not as sharp as the growth in the number of
Palestinian workers in Israel. In the west bank as in Israel itself the Palestinian workers work
mainly in construction and agriculture but also in Industry and services. It should be noted
that the Palestinian central bureau of statistic published a different data stating that the
number of Palestinian workers in the settlements is in decline.
In 2007 the Israeli high court ruled that Palestinian workers working for Israeli employer in
the Israeli settlements are entitled for the Israeli minimum wage. On July 19 2015 the state
court for labour decided that Palestinian worker in Industrial parks that are not a part of an
Israeli settlement can be employed under the 1967 version of Jordanian labour law. The
Jordanian law grants fewer rights than the Israeli.
It should be noted that in Israel and the settlements there are not just Palestinian workers with
permit but also workers with no permit. The number of those workers is calculated by the
Palestinian Central bureau of statistic.
Table 50: Palestinian workers in Israel 2014-2017 (quarterly) including workers
with no permit104
quarter Workers
with permits
Workers
Without
Permits
(Pcbs)
Workers in
the
settlements
Total in
Israel and
the
settlements*
Total only in
Israel**
02/2014 46,533 38,000 24,200 108,733 84,533
03/2014 48,763 29,000 20,600 98,363 77,763
04/2014 51,732 27,800 20,200 99,732 79,532
01/2015 52,412 39,300 20,900 112,612 91,712
02/2015 50,734 37,600 20,300 108,634 88,334
03/2015 52,713 35,900 22,100 110,713 88,613
04/2015 58,154 33,400 26,300 117,854 91,554
01/2016 58,225 38,400 27,632 124,257 96,625
02/2016 59,536 40,600 28,235 128,371 100,136
03/2016 65,207 42,700 29,771 137,678 107,907
04/2016 67,008 46,400 29,561 142,969 113,408
01/2017 69,533 48,700 30,380 148,613 118,233
104
The Palestinian central bureau of statistic, http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/pcbs_2012/PressEn.aspx
http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/portals/_pcbs/PressRelease/Press_En_8-5-2017-LF-en.pdf the Palestinian
central bureau of statistic includes in the data Palestinian with Israeli or other nationality. In this table
those who have another citizenship are not included. The Palestinian calculation is an average of every
week in three months period. There are slight differences between the Israeli and the Palestinian
numbers.
*Israeli data for permit workers in Israel and the Israeli settlements and the Palestinian data
for the workers without permits.
** Israeli data for permit workers in Israel and the Palestinian data for the workers without
permits.
From the Palestinian central bureau of statistic we can learn that in addition to the workers
who work in Israel with permit there are about 49,000 workers who work in Israel without a
permit. There is a difference between the number of permit workers as reported by Israel and
the number of permit workers as reported by the Palestinian, yet the trends are the same, a
constant growth in the number of workers in recent years.
Table 51: Palestinian workers in Israel (2014-2017) workers with and without permit by
Israeli and Palestinian data105
Quota* Permit
Holders*
Total number
of Palestinian
workers
(Pcbs)**
Assumed number of
workers without
permits
02/2014 49,250 46,533 71,400 24,867
04/2014 56,850 51,732 70,400 18,668
01/2015 53,850 52,412 77,100 24,688
02/2015 54,450 50,734 78,600 27,866
03/2015 61,850 52,713 78,900 26,187
04/2015 61,150 58,154 87,800 29,646
01/2016 60,900 58,225 88,600 30,375
02/2016 63,400 59,536 94,900 35,364
03/2016 75,400 65,207 101,000 35,793
04/2016 74,400 67,008 103,400 36,392
01/2017 82,000 69,533 106,400 36,867
*Israel ministry of defense ** Palestinian central bureau of statistic, weekly average
105
The Palestinian central bureau of statistic,
http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/portals/_pcbs/PressRelease/Press_En_8-5-2017-LF-en.pdf
In addition to the workers quota who works in Israel there are other quotas that are not
defined as based on demand for workforce in the Israeli labor market. Those quotas are
not being discussed and managed with the regular quotas of daily Palestinian workers.
Teachers and religious organization workers in east Jerusalem or Merchants and senior
businessman, have working permits in special quotas, part of several different
arrangements, agreements, bilateral agreements, protocols and procedures between the
state of Israel the Palestinian authority, other states and international organizations.
Table 52: special quotas for specific workers students and business106
quota Age required for Permit
Church Workers 1,200 25+
Other religious employers
workers
250 25+
Teachers (East Jerusalem) 450 25+
Merchants 22,000 25+
International Organization
workers
2,200 22+
Senior Businessman 2,400 -
East Jerusalem Electricity
company
150 -
Tourist Guides 50 -
Tourist workers 500 -
3.2 Policy changes
The ongoing trend of increasing the quota and quota realization of Palestinian workers
Palestinian employment in Israel is affected by the needs of the labor market as well as by
national, political and security considerations. The increases in the quota of Palestinian
workers decided upon by the government in 2011-2016 and the discussions being held today
concerning a possible further increase in the quota are also a function of these factors.
106
Coordination of government Activities in the Territories (cogat), periodic update, 10/07/2017. In
Hebrew:
http://www.cogat.mod.gov.il/he/services/Procedure/%D7%A1%D7%98%D7%98%D7%95%D7%A1
%20%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%95%D7%AA.pdf#search=%D7%A1%D7%98%D7
%98%D7%95%D7%A1%20%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%95%D7%AA
In the years 2016 and 2017 the Israeli Government continued with new additions to the quota
of Palestinian workers in Israel, as it was in recent years. In 2016 and 2017 the main policy
change was the growth in permanent permits and the decline in seasonal permits in the
agriculture sector. The trend is constant since 2011, a growth in the number of Palestinian
workers. In the year 2000, 100,000 Palestinian workers with permit were working in Israel,
in 2005 the number declined to 25,000 (only 25% of the 2000 number of permit holder
workers) since 2012 the increase in the numbers is significant.
In Gov. Decision 1236 from March 2016 the government decided not only on new quotas but
also on an examination of the permit and employment system For the purpose of regulating
the employment policies of Palestinian workers. As a part of the Decision a part of the new
quota was to be realized only after a new decision on the employment system will be
accepted.107
In July 2016, in a new Gov. Decision (1660), the government decided to allow a
new quota of workers to be realized till the end of 2016.108
In December 2016 a new quota
for the whole next year was decided in Gov. Decision 2174 with a general new quota.109
If
the new quota will be given fully till the end of the 2017, the number of Palestinian workers
will stand for the first time in 15 years, almost as it was in 2000-2001.
Table 53: Palestinian worker's quota in Israel 2000-2017 (In thousands)
Year Number of
workers
with
permit
Percentage
from the
quota in
2000
Year Number of
workers
with
permit
Percentage
from the
quota in
2000
2000 100 - 2013 51.45 51.45%
2005 25 25% 2014 56.85 56.85%
2010 29.5 29.5% 2015 61.15 61.15%
2011 30 30% 2016 74,400 74.4%
2012 47.35 47.35% 2017
(01-
03/2017)
96,600
(82,000)
96.6%
(82%)
107
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1236.aspx 108
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1660.aspx 109
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec2174.aspx
A new employment model for Palestinian workers in construction
As a part of Gov. Decision 1236 a governmental team wrote a report on the models of
employment for Palestinian workers in Construction. The committee's conclusions were to
recommend employment that would permit free movement between employers, would
reduce the workers' dependence on employers and would increase their income through
abolishing the need to pay mediation fees and service charges to employers and agents in the
sector. The government adopted the committee conclusions in Gov. Decision 2174.
The new model adopted by the government not actually implemented as of September 2017.
The main reason to the change of employment methods is the illegal fees being paid by the
Palestinian workers to their employer on record, although the workers have to work only by
the employer who has a permit, it is known that Palestinian workers not always work for the
permit holder.
Today it is clear that between the list of those holding a permit and the list of actual
employers there is an increasing discrepancy, and the employers who allegedly have permits
use these permits to collect broker's fees from the workers which could be as much as one-
third of their wages. It should be noted that even actual employers do not always deposit for
the worker all the allocations and conditions as required by law. The new method of
employment proposed will abolish the link between the worker and the permit holder and
replace it with a permit for the worker himself, and it is recommended that the worker's
wages and social benefits be transferred on-line so as the prevent non-payment of benefits
according to law.
A new Increase in the quota of Palestinian workers for 2017
In Gov. Decision 2174 the government decided on a new quota of Palestinian workers. In the
decision the government decided on a new quota for the whole year of 2017 in advance and
for all the main fields of Palestinian workers employment. In specified terms and conditions
the total quota of Palestinian workers can increase in another 22,000 daily workers till the
end of 2017.
Table 54: The new quota for 2017 in division for fields of employment
construction Agriculture
seasonal
Agriculture
yearly
Industry
2017 +16,300 +1,500 +2,000 +2,200
In Gov. Decision 2469 from March 2017, the government decided to release the quota for the
whole year in Industry and allow changes between the different sub quotas up to 600 daily
Palestinian workers (mainly from agriculture to industry).110
The new data of the periodic
Cogat update (10/07/2017) shows the new full quota in Industry is valid.111
Palestinian workers in Industrial Zones that are not in Israel are not entitled to the
protection of the Israeli labor laws
On July 20 2016 the national Labor Court ruled that in industrial zones in the west bank that
are not a part of a settlement the Palestinian workers are not entitled to the protection of the
Israeli labor law but to the old Jordanian labor law. It should be noted that the Palestinian
workers are entitled to the Israeli minimum celery.
Lawsuit deposit for not Israeli resident employees
The theme of workers' rights violation in the Israeli settlements in the Jordan valley was
discussed in the Israeli public debate in recent years. Recently there was an increase in the
number of Palestinian workers suing they're employers. On July 15 2016, the ministry of
Justice published new regulations.112
The new regulations stated that a judge would have the
discretion to fix the amount of the security deposit required from an employee in Israel or of
an Israeli employer in the west bank who is not an Israeli resident and whose country of
origin is not a signatory to the Hague convention (for example, a resident of the Palestinian
Authority, Sudan, or Eritrea) and who is suing his employer in the labor court. A lawsuit
objecting to these regulations was filed in the High Court of Justice claiming that the aim of
the regulations was to bring about a situation in which workers whose rights had been
infringed would be deterred from filing suit due to the financial burden this entails.
Reduce of the tax credit to Palestinian workers
Every resident of Israel and foreign worker with a legal work permit is entitled to an
automatic credit of 2.25 points in his income tax obligation. In August 2016, the Ministry of
Finance suggested lowering the credit points given to Palestinian workers to 1.25 credit
110
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2017/Pages/des2469.aspx 111
In Hebrew:
http://www.cogat.mod.gov.il/he/services/Procedure/%D7%A1%D7%98%D7%98%D7%95%D7%A1
%20%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%95%D7%AA.pdf#search=%D7%A1%D7%98%D7
%98%D7%95%D7%A1%20%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%95%D7%AA 112
In Hebrew: http://www.justice.gov.il/Units/Reshomot/publications/Pages/Regulations.aspx
Regulation 6796.
points from 2019 onwards and to just one point for the years 2017-2018. 113 Among the
reasons put forward for this order as it was submitted to the Finance Committee of the
Knesset, was the recommendation of the World Bank that net payments to Palestinian
workers in Israel should be reduced in order to decrease the incentive for this work, to
increase the tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority for workers' employment in Israel in
terms of the Paris Agreements (75% of the tax on Palestinian workers in Israel and 100% of
the tax on Palestinian workers in the West Bank). The proposal was also justified as
stemming from the need to finance the steps detailed in Government Decision 1236 which,
among other things, was aimed at increasing the number of Palestinian workers in Israel. The
proposal wasn’t approved by the Finance committee of the Knesset.
In June 2016 after a wave of terror attacks on Israeli settlements in the southern part of the
west bank the government sustained working permits of workers from the same place of
residence of the terrorists.
Reexamining the sick day payment fond
Employers of Palestinian worker pay a special payment (2.5%) from the worker wages, to a
sick day payment fond, of which Palestinian workers who are sick supposed to be payed
from when they are sick. The utilization of the fond is very low (about 300 million NIS are in
the fond since the utilization of the money is very low) and it is very rare that a Palestinian
worker in Israel is using the fond; most of them don’t have the information about the fond or
about the procedure.114
On September 2017 the Immigration Authority published that she is
considering the cancellation of the fond since it may be in the benefit of the workers to be
payed directly by the employers and not through the fond.115
113
In Hebrew: http://fs.knesset.gov.il/20/Committees/20_cs_bg_348008.pdf 114
Michal Tajar, Kav laOved, interview, 30/07/2017. 115
In Hebrew:
https://www.gov.il/he/Departments/policies/request_for_opinion_regarding_payment_and_charging_of
_sick_days
4. Foreign Who Entered Israel Not under a Foreign Work
Permit (with tourist permit) and haven't left
In Israel there is a population of foreigners who entered the country legally on a
tourist visa and have remained illegally after their visa expired116
. Experts in the
Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor estimate that the
preponderant majority of these foreigners remain in Israel in order to work. Deporting
these foreigners presents a problem, because of the difficulty in locating and
identifying them, since, unlike infiltrators and legal foreign workers, tourists who
enter the country legally and remain illegally work in a wider range of occupations,
over a wider geographical distribution, and do not tend to live in areas typical of
foreign workers, illegal migrants and asylum seekers.
In 2016 Foreigners who entered Israel on a tourist visa and remained to work illegally
account for 82.6% (2015: 83.4, 2014: 85%) of all foreigners working in Israel without
a work permit (another 17/4% (2015: 16.6%,2014:15%) were foreign workers who
lost status).
4.1 Data
Table 55: Foreigners Who Entered Israel on a Tourist Visa since 2001 and
Remained after Its Expiry117
Year 2001 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008 2009
Number
of illegal
residents
139,000 124,000 104,000 97,000 84,000 90,000 107,000 101,000
Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Number
of illegal
residents
95,000 92,000 93,000 90,000 91,000 79,000 74,000
The number of foreign who hasn't left Israel in the end of their visa period is in
decline since the beginning of the millennia. In comparison to 2001 there is a decline
of 46.8% in the total number of this population. It should be noted that the decline
116
See in greater detail: The Knesset Research and Information Center, Deportation of Illegal Foreign
Workers from Israel, Gilad Nathan, June 17, 2009, (in Hebrew),
http://www.knesset.gov.il/mmm/data/pdf/ m02279.pdf. 117
http://www.piba.gov.il/PublicationAndTender/ForeignWorkersStat/Documents/563343n80.pdf
between 2014 and 2015 is a mixture of one technical decision to remove the Jordanian
tourist who haven’t left Israel from this population and of another decline in this
population.118
About half of the decline between 2014 (91,000) and 2015 (79,000) is
due to the removing of the Jordanian from the calculation.
Table 56: 10 main source countries of foreigners who remained after Tourist
Visa Expiry 2015-2016119
Country
2014
Number
(in 1000)
% Country
2015
Number
(in 1000)
%
Former USSR 52.5 66.9% Former USSR 51.3 69.3%
Romania 4.7 6% Romania 4.7 6.4%
Mexico 3.1 3.9% Mexico 2.7 3.6%
Turkey 1.6 2% Egypt 1.6 2.2%
Egypt 1.5 1.9% Venezuela 1.3 1.8%
Colombia 1.4 1.8% Colombia 1.2 1.6%
Venezuela 1.3 1.7% Peru 1.2 1.6%
Hungary 1.3 1.7% Hungary 1 1.4%
Czechoslovakia 1.3 1.7% Czechoslovakia 1 1.4%
Peru 1.3 1.7% Nepal 1 1.4%
67,000 (90.5%) came to Israel from 10 main countries (2015: 70,000 (88.6%) 2014:
75,700 (83.9%). Almost 70% third came from the former USSR.
4.2 Policy Changes
The Population and Immigration Authority is responsible for deporting anyone who
enters Israel without a work permit and remains in the country after their visa has
expired. On August 12, 2008, the 31st Israeli Government adopted, among a series of
decisions dealing with non-Israeli workers and with increased employment
118
Marina Sheps, CBS, Email, 27/07/2016. 119
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201720217
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201620232
opportunities for Israelis, a decision (No. 3996)120
to deport illegal residents, in which
it set December 31, 2013 as the deadline by which the deportation of all illegal
workers in Israel and their family members would be completed.
During 2008-2016 the government failed to meet the deportation targets it had set
itself, and it also failed to target foreigners who had entered Israel on a tourist visa
and remained to work after their visa expired. In 2011, the number of deportations of
such foreigners stood at 771, decreasing to a mere 279 in the first half of 2012. In
2013 the number of deportations increased significantly to 1,591, than it decreased
again in 2014 with only 1,206 deported people.
Tourists who overstay their visas comprise the largest group of foreigners with an
unregulated status in Israel, but till 2013 were the smallest group among deportees
and even during 2013-2014 they still count for less than a half of the deportees: 1,591
(33.8%) from the total 4,699 deportees in 2013, and 1,206 (48%) from the total 2,507
in 2014. In 2015-2016 for the first time the share of tourists among deportees was
slightly more than 50%. All those years (2011-2015) the share of undocumented
tourist in the population of foreigners with no regulated status was about 80%. In
2015-2016 the share of tourist with no valid visa is growing parallel to a decline of
this population.
Table 57: Foreign with an unregulated status in Israel in Israel 2011-2016
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 06.2017
Tourist without
Visa
95,000 93,000 90,000 91,000 79,000 74,000 74,000
Foreign
Workers without
status
14,100 14,500 15,400 15,300 15,915 15,660 18,267
Share of Tourist
without visa
87% 86.4% 85.5% 85.6% 83.4% 82.6% 80.2%
120
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMO/Secretarial/bud/des3996.htm.
Total 109,100 107,500 105,400 106,300 94,915 89,660 92,267
There is a trend of decline in the general number of people with unregulated status in
Israel. Yet while the number of tourist without visa is in sharp decline, the number of
TMW who have lost their status is in growing trend. This trend caused in 2017 to a
change in the general trend of decline.
Table 58: Deportation of Foreign (not including Palestinians and Asylum
Seekers who left voluntarily) 2011-2017121
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 06.2017
Tourist
with
expired
visa
711 279 1,591 1,206 1,668 1,836 1,001
Foreign
Workers
1,131 438 1,038 535 580 505 205
Others 1,925 576 2,070 766 868 880 1,255
Total 3,827 1,293 4,699 2,507 3,116 3,221 2,461
Table 59: Share of deported Foreigners from total foreigners without status
population 2011-2017
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 06.2017
Total
Population
109,100 107,500 105,400 106,300 94,915 89,660 92,267
Deports 3,827 1,293 4,699 2,507 3,116 3,221 2,461
Share of
deported
3.5% 1.2% 4.4% 2.4% 3.3% 3.6% 2.6%
121
In Hebrew:
http://www.piba.gov.il/PublicationAndTender/ForeignWorkersStat/Pages/default.aspxhttps://www.gov
.il/BlobFolder/reports/foreign_workers_report_q2_2016/he/q2_2016.pdf
https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/reports/foreign_workers_report_q2_2017/he/foreign_workers_stats_q2
_2017.pdf
5. Asylum Seekers and Mixed Migration (Infiltrators and People
under protection)
Today there are two main groups of population In Israel who seek protection and
asylum. The first group is mainly of resident of African states (mainly Eritrea and
Sudan) who infiltrated to Israel through the border between Egypt and Israel mainly
between the years 2007 and 2012, are entitled to protection and are being referred by
the government as Infiltrators. The second group is of asylum seekers who entered
Israel legally as tourist mainly from former USSR states and asked for asylum, most
of them since 2015.
With almost no possibility to get a recognition as asylum seekers, people from both
groups are integrated mainly and solely in the labour market. In recent years both the
burden on their employment and the evidence of exploitation of those groups are
growing substantially.
Infiltrators who seek asylum in Israel
Between the years 2005 and 2012 the State of Israel was a migration destination for
those considered as a client population of the United Nations High Commission for
Refugees (UNHCR), mainly through its southern border. Since mid-2012 the number
of entries to Israel declined sharply, after a record of more than 2,000 border crossing
a month in the first half of 2012. Since the beginning of 2013 and till July 2017 only
322 Infiltrators entered Israel through the border with Egypt.122
Most of those arriving
by this route are nationals of African countries (99%), and in recent years – mainly
Sudanese and Eritrean nationals. In recent years while some of Israel neighboring
states are defined by the UNHCR as Top Host States (Lebanon in the third place with
1,088,231 and Jordan in the sixth place with 689,053 people who are defined as
population of concern), Israel hosted much lower numbers.
Asylum seekers who haven't infiltrated
While the number of infiltrators declined, since the end of 2015 there is a new
increase in the number of entries to Israel in search of asylum. The new phenomena is
122
In Hebrew:
https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/generalpage/foreign_workers_stats/he/summary_2016_new.pdf
mainly of people who entered Israeli as tourist and asked for asylum when entering or
shortly after entering the state. Most of those new requests for asylum are of citizen of
Ukraine and Georgia.
There is a trend of growth in the number of asylum requests since 2014. While the
number and share of African resident among asylum requests submitters is in decline,
there is a significant growth in the share of asylum seekers from former USSR states.
While the Infiltration of African subjects to Israel is very low, there is a substantial
growth in the number of people who enter Israel with tourist visa from former USSR
states. Since 2015 there is a sharp increase in the number of asylum requests
submitted by tourist from the former USSR countries. There is a consensus that most
of the asylum seekers coming to Israel as tourist from former USSR states are labor
migrant that are using the bureaucratic failures of the asylum system in Israel to get a
status that allows them to work here. Since the beginning of 2017 the Immigration
authority is refusing the entrance of significantly more people coming from the main
source states,123
and there is a growing awareness to the possibility of human
trafficking and asylum industry in Israel and the source countries.
Rights and Status
The majority of infiltrators to Israel receive group protection as asylum seekers, since,
according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, their life or liberty
will be endangered if they are returned to their home country or deported back to
Egypt (nearly all illegal migrants came to Israel through Egypt).
At present, the State of Israel recognizes citizens of Eritrea and Sudan as enjoying
temporary protection from deportation only. In recent years, more and more Eritreans
and Sudanese have been submitting individual applications for asylum, and, even
when these applications are rejected, there is still a policy of temporary non-
deportation with regard to the citizens of these countries. Nevertheless, Israel
encourages the population enjoying temporary protection from deportation to leave
Israel using various means such as the program for leaving of their own volition, by
means of employing administrative and other steps intended to make their daily lives
123
In Hebrew, the new procedure of entrance refusal:
https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/policy/israeli_international_borders_passby_handling_procedure/he/6.4
.0010_0.pdf
more difficult, and by means of statements by Ministers and other officials about this
population.
Those entitled to temporary group protection from deportation receive a residence
permit, allowing them the right to stay in Israel, in addition to which they are entitled
to the rights granted to any person by virtue of staying in Israel, regardless of their
civil status, such as emergency medical treatment (under section 3(b) of the Patient's
Rights Law, 1996). Furthermore, all foreigners working in Israel are subject to its
labor laws, regardless of their status. It should be noted that since 2013 people who
had this protection can and are be submitted to enter a detention facility. The facility
itself is opened during the day time. The residents are being counted twice a day
(morning and night).
Minors in this population are entitled to health, education and welfare services, since
these are considered universal rights under the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child; however each ministry has discretion in interpreting the
obligations of the state under the convention. Thus, whereas the Education and Health
Ministries grants every minor access to a basket of basic services, the Welfare
Ministry applies a narrow interpretation, granting services only in extreme cases.
Throughout 2013, The Ministry of Welfare and Social Services has shown more
involvement, especially in relation to those infiltrators who were recognized as Sinai
trafficking victims.
During the First months of 2015 some children in the ages of 0-3 died in private
kinder gardens of foreign workers children. In Israel the state is responsible for
children educational frame works only from the age of 3, and the common frame
works cost between one third and a half of the minimum wage. After some deaths the
government decided to enforce inspection and to subsidies the opening of new
educational frame works with a budget of 14 million NIS a year for the years 2015-
2019,124
(government decision 2487, April 08 2015).125
It should be noted that not all
the sources that were defined in the government decision are available. And there
124
In Hebrew: http://fs.knesset.gov.il//20/Committees/20_ptv_309676.doc 125
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2015/Pages/des2487.aspx
were more cases of infant deaths in the private uninspected kinder gardens of foreign
children.
Most of the asylum seekers who entered Israel in recent years (2015-2017) come from
former USSR states. They get a permit to stay and work in Israel during the request
exanimation period. They are treated as working foreigner and not as infiltrators.
At the end of 2016 there were in Israel 40,274 (2014: 43,186) Africans infiltrators and
asylum seekers, as of mid-2017 the number decreased again to 38,540 (mid 2016:
41,477). About one third of all Infiltrators and Asylum Seekers who entered Israel
since 2005 (more than 65,000) left Israel since 2013 due to the government policy
which encourage them to leave the state or be exposed to the possibility of arrest. The
great majority of who are entitled to group protection, including about 3,200 who are
under custody). It is noteworthy that according to various estimates, there are
approximately 6,000-8,000 minors that were born to infiltrator and asylum seeker
population in Israel (the Immigration Authority estimates that since 2013 more than
5,000 infiltrators children were born in Israel). However, due to an absence of
organized records of those born in Israel within this population, the size of the minor
population cannot be accurately measured.
In mid-2017 17,742 not-Israeli pupils were studying in the Education public
kindergartens and schools (ages 3-18). This number includes all the not Israeli pupils
from children of embassies staff to children of families waiting for family
reunification (residents of the Palestinian authority and others), TMW children and
children who were born to Infiltrators, asylum seekers and persons under protections.
About 10% of all not-Israeli pupils studied in Tel Aviv, 32% in Jerusalem. As noted
the partition of the not-Israeli pupils to the different status groups cannot be
determined, yet we can assume that there is a connection between the growth in the
number of children especially among children in kindergarten and the assumed
growth in the number of children of African residents who infiltrated Israel and are
staying in Israel under protection from deportation or as asylum seekers.
Table 60: Not Israeli pupils in the public education system 2014-06.2017
2014 2015 2016 2017
Kindergarten 1,006 1,317 3,860 5,390
Total number 11,636 12,229 15,593 17,742
The number of not Israeli pupils in the public education system is growing, mainly in
the kindergarten ages (3-6).
Till the end of 2016 14,135 asylum requests of people who haven't infiltrated Israel
were submitted. In the first half of 2017 more than 7,500 new asylum requests were
submitted.
The great majority of the infiltrator and asylum seeker populations have integrated
into the workforce, particularly in the fields of construction, tourism and hospitality
(hotels and restaurants) and in the service field (institutional cleaning services,
household cleaning and nursing care). Since the beginning of 2013, a few trends have
been prominent with regard to integration of asylum seekers and infiltrators into the
workforce:
a. Growing numbers of migration out of the center of Israel and their dispersion
in medium-sized cities in the south-western and northern parts of the country.
Nevertheless, this population‘s Biggest concentration has remained in the
center of Israel, primarily in southern Tel-Aviv. In the new centers of mixed
migration population that grew in cities like Jerusalem, Hadera, and Kiryat
Malachi, Rahat, Natanya, Haifa and Petah Tikva there is a need in services
like kinder gardens that are not always being given without interference of the
courts or state authorities.
Table 61: residence of Infiltrators (not including minors who were born in
Israel) in division to Tel Aviv and the rest of Israel 2014-06.2016126
Total number Tel Aviv-Jaffa Unregistered The rest of
Israel
2014 46,437 18,324 5,608 22,505
126
Answer of the immigration Authority to the research center of the Knesset, 07/06/2016 in Hebrew,
in: https://www.knesset.gov.il/mmm/data/pdf/m03790.pdf
2015 43,186 17,433 5,255 20,498
06.2016 41,685 16,776 5,127 19,782
06.2017 38,540 14,920 5,000 18,620
There are some other estimation of the local authorities and the police, there are
several estimations about the minor which were born in Israel and are unregistered.
But the trend is clear, less than 40% of the Infiltrators population lives today in Tel
Aviv.
b. Integration into the traditional industry in fields where minimal professional
training is required and a low wage is paid. In addition to integrating into the
traditional industry, an outflow in the service field from the outsourcing cleaning
service field and the institutional nursing care field is also noticeable.
c. Since the beginning of increased entry by infiltrators and asylum seekers in 2007,
their integration into professions which traditionally, over the past decades, have been
abundant with foreign workers, especially in the hospitality and construction fields,
has been evident. Today there are still workers from this population in these fields, as
well as in the agriculture field. However, the government is acting to replace these
workers in the hospitality field with other foreign workers and is increasing quotas in
the construction field as well, in a manner which will affect their integration into the
field.
5.1 Data
In mid-2012 the uptrend in the number of infiltrators crossing into Israel from Egypt
stopped and the number of infiltrators started to decline sharply. Since, the numbers
are very low. There was an increase in the number last year, but even with about
500% increase, the number remains insignificant. And the trend of the first half of
2016 indicates that Israel is still not a destination country.
Table 62: Number of Infiltrators every year and per month 2011-2017
Number of Infiltrators Per Month
2011 17,285 1440
2012 10,436 869.6
2013 45 3.75
2014 44 3.66
2015 227 18.9
2016 18 1.5
2017 0 0
In 2016 the number of new infiltrators decreased again and in 2017 stood on 0.
Infiltration to Israel is not a phenomenon since 2012.
Table 63: Number of people who infiltrated Israel staying in Israel since 2010
Year Infiltrators in
Israel
Year Infiltrators
in Israel
2010 33,273 2014 46,437
2011 54,497 2015 43,186
2012 55,180 2016 40,274
2013 52,961 30.06.2017 38,540
Since the end of 2012 15,906 Infiltrators have left Israel through the willingly leaving
procedure or by receiving protection status in a third country, almost 4,000 since the
beginning of 2016.
2017 began in similar fashion to the previous year; Israel cased to be destination for
irregular migration from Africa, the main reasons for that are:
The opener route to southern Europe. The main population Groups, who
entered Israel during the years 2009-2012 in increasing numbers, are now
trying to enter the EU.
Enforcement measures against the population of asylum seekers and long-term
detention in a close (at least nine months and up to 3 years) or open (at least
nine months and up to twelve months) facility and the option of forced
deportation to a third country of infiltrators immediately on their arrival have
reduced Israel's appeal as a destination.
The increasing difficulty of finding work in Israel and an increasing
uncertainty in upholding a permit that allows it holder to work.
The fence along the border with Egypt that prevents unrestricted passage over
an open area into Israel.
IDF action that prevents the entry of infiltrators.
The security situation in the Sinai Peninsula.
A majority of the infiltrators living in Israel are Eritreans – continuing the trend since
2010. According to figures for June 2017, 71% of infiltrators arrived from Eritrea
(27,494), 20% from Sudan (7,869), must of the remainder 7%, (2,680) from other
African countries such as Ivory Coast and Ethiopia.127
Infiltrators crossing from Egypt
also included a small number of individuals from non-African countries (2%, 675),
such as Georgia, Turkey and North Korea. Entrants into Israel from Sudan (except
those arriving from South Sudan) are eligible for group protection by the very fact of
their entry to Israel, and not necessarily due to their situation in Sudan.
In the end of 2016 40,274 Infiltrators were living in Israel, 36,100, Man and 7,100
Women.128
It should be noted that in this number there is no record to the number of
children born in Israel to families of mixed migrant mainly families of asylum seekers
or people under group protection. There is an estimation that about 1,000 children are
being born every year in Israel to such families and that the total number of those
children is between 6,000 and 8,000.
Table 64: Number of Unregulated Migrants and Asylum Seekers Infiltrating
Israel in Recent Years
Annual number of
infiltrators leaving
Israel
Annual rate of
increase
Number of
infiltrators
entering Israel
1,383 2,814 2006
463 190% 5,393 2007
707 110% 9,171 2008
655 26% 5,307 2009
1,161 65% 14,637 2010
1,420 41% 17,285 2011
3,018 19% 10,436 2012
2,612 - 45 2013
127
In Hebrew:
https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/reports/foreign_workers_report_q2_2017/he/foreign_workers_stats_q2
_2017.pdf 128
In Hebrew: http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201620232
6,441 - 44 2014
3,381 510% 227 2015
3,246 - 18 2016
2,081 - - 01-06.2017
A person who has been found eligible for group protection may not submit, while
eligible for such protection, an application for an individual status examination (as
long as he has not been summand or is not in one of the facilities Holot or
Saharonim).
In 2012 infiltrators to Israel account for 0.18% of the UNHCR's client population in
2013 the share of Israel was 0.115%, in 2014 0.07% and in 2015 0.06%. The decline
in the Israeli share is a result of a global growth and a local decline.129
Since mid-2012 the number of entries declined. Between the end of 2012 and the end
of 2013 the Asylum Seekers population declined in almost 10,000 people (15%) and
this trend continues also in 2014 with almost no entries and again almost 6,500 people
who left Israel. 2015 began with the same trend with another decline of 700 people.
The trend continued and in the end of June 2016 the total number of mixed migrants
in Israel stood on 41,477, about 68% of the number in the end of 2012. This trend
continues as in previous years to stand in the base of the assumption that despite the
significant rise in the number of mixed migrants coming to Israel between 2006-2012
and the substantial increase in the number of people in a refugee-like state who are
entitled to group protection, as well as asylum seekers, the State of Israel is not among
the world's main destination countries for such migration.
Table 65: Population of Illegal Migrants and Asylum Seekers Based on Estimate
of the Population and Immigration Authority, 2009-2017
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 01-
06.2017
Sudan 7,180 12,325 12,124 12,825 8,772 8,353 8,002 7,869
Eritrea 20,200 31,320 37,347 35,833 33,999 31,414 29,014 37,494
Total number of protected 31,130 47,700 53,500 49,098 43,211 40,207 37,016 33,185
129
http://www.unhcr.org/556725e69.html
migrants
Total number of infiltrators 37,000 55,000 62,000 52,961 46,437 43,186 40,274 38,540
Infiltrators not ineligible for
group protection
5,850 7,300 8,500 3,863 3,226 2979 3,658 5,355
As noted, the majority of infiltrators to Israel are eligible for group protection. Among
those who are not eligible for group protection asylum seekers account for a notable
proportion. The share of granted asylum to Asylum Seekers is negligible, in 2013 as
in previous years less than 1% (For the sake of comparison, in the European Union
countries, 52% of asylum seekers receive a status).
Table 66: recognition of asylum seekers as refugees 2009-2016
New Asylum
Request
Examination Recognized refugees
2009 4,530 1,429 2
2010 5,391 3,688 6
2011 3,584 3,968 8
2012 1,096 1,896 6
2013 2,593 2,968 6
2014 584 3,500 17
2015 5,013 9,874 4
2016 14,837 12,695 2
Till Mid 2017, among the people who applied for a refugee status, about 16,000 were
infiltrators. About 9,000 cases were closed and about another 7,000 are still being
processed. Less than 0.1% of the asylum requests are being recognized.
Table 67: Asylum Requests main countries 2014-2016
Origin State 2014 2015 2016 Total
Ukraine 51 703 6,880 7,634
Eritrea 1,203 3,586 1,992 6,781
Georgia 27 736 3,668 4,431
Sudan 903 1,162 636 2,701
Ethiopia 115 280 121 516
The Russian
Federation
- 14 395 409
Nigeria 133 146 109 388
Moldova - 22 302 324
Ghana 72 108 83 263
Other Origin
States
172 514 651 1,337
Total 2,676 7,271 14,837 24,784
As noted there is a change in the trends of asylum seekers. The share of Infiltrators
from the border with Egypt is in decrease and the share of tourists from the former
USSR state is increasing.
Table 68: Open procedures for recognition as refugees still that were submitted
between 2009-2016 still being in process
Year Number of
open
procedures
Year Number of
open
procedures
2009 326 2014 1,565
2010 217 2015 5,295
2011 64 2016 7,566
2012 187
2013 1,436 Total 14,644
Table 69: Recognized Refugees in Israel by Country of Origin 2009-2016130
Origin Country Number of
recognized refugees
Origin Country Number of
recognized refugees
Mongolia 1 North Korea 3
South Sudan 1 Nepal 1
Zimbabwe 1 Cameroon 1
Ivory Coast 4 Ruanda 2
Ethiopia 8 Sudan 6
Eretria 4 Other 15
The State of Israel has not set quotas for refugees and asylum seekers and it
recognizes both based on its commitment to the UN Convention on Refugees. Apart
from recipients of refugee status, there are asylum seekers who receive welfare within
the frame work of the inter-ministerial committee on humanitarian matters, or other
sorts of temporary status.
Table 70: Infiltrators age groups 2016131
Age Total
0-14 1.4%
15-24 3.3%
25-34 62.6%
35-44 24.1%
45-54 6.3%
55-64 1.7%
65+ 0.6%
Out 40,300 in the end of 2016, 33,500 were man and only 6,700 women. The share of
women is growing while the total population is in decline. The reason is that mainly
man leave Israel in recent years.
130
http://www.acri.org.il/he/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/hit8665meshivim2-5-0215.pdf 131
In Hebrew: http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201720217
5.2 Policy changes
Lack of a coherent policy on the population of non-deportable and asylum
seekers living in Israel
Israel has a population of about 40,000 people who are recognized as not deportable,
regarding which it has still not formulated any policy, apart from granting them a
right of residence based on the principle of non-refoulement. Infiltrators, illegal
migrants and asylum seekers have a basic right that is not officially entrenched – the
right to work (they are allowed to work through a policy of non-enforcement against
employers, according to the state's response in HCJ 6312/10). The population of
illegal migrants and asylum seekers lives within the jurisdiction of several local
authorities from which it receives services, mainly education services for minors,
including integration of the children into the education system and transport for
special-needs children. The state virtually does not participate in funding these
services, and the authorities bear almost the entire burden.
The State of Israel has not formulated a policy for coping with the phenomenon of
non-deportable mixed migration living in Israel, nor has it formulated a policy
regarding those found eligible for group protection, including the manner of
termination of the group protection. The State of Israel does not have an integration
policy for this population or refugee quota, and refugee status is awarded only to a
few people every year. Since 2013 there is an increasing pressure on Infiltrators to
leave Israel willingly. The decrease of the mixed migrant's population is a direct result
of the people who left Israel in this process. There is a lot of critic on the process and
how willingly it is.
According to human rights organizations the governmental policy is intentionally
vague. longer review times of requests to renew permits and status; receiving permits
which do not ban employment, but do explicitly imply that employing these permits’
owners is not beneficial to employers; reduce in the tax benefits to employers and to
the workers, actions of a procedural manner, which put a strain on the lives of
individuals within this population in Israel.132
132
http://hotline.org.il/en/publication/holotreporteng/ In Hebrew:
http://hotline.org.il/publication/2ndholotreport/, http://www.hrw.org/node/128691
The case of Mutasim Ali is an example to the current policy.133
Mutasim an asylum
seeker from Darfur (Sudan) entered Israel in 2009, between 2010 and 2012 he tried to
submit an asylum request, he succeed in December 2012. His request wasn’t
answered and on April 2014 he was summand to Holot facility. On February 2015 he
appealed to a regional court against his holding in the facility clamming he should
except a decision regarding his appeal for an asylum status. On July 06 2015, after the
state couldn’t decide on his case, the state reported to the high court that he will be
released immediately. Mutasim Ali still hasn’t got an answer, there was no ruling in
the case so there is no legal precedent and every other asylum seeker who waits for
long period still have to wait or appeal for himself, but Mutasim himself can work
and stay in Israel.134
On June 2016, the Interior minister recognized Mutasim Ali as a
refugee the first asylum seeker from Darfur to be recognized. Since the decision in the
case of Mutasim Ali hundreds of asylum requests of Sudanese were submitted and 20
applied the District court in a demand to get answers for their requests. On June 2017
the ministry of interior declared 200 Sudanese from the region of Darfur will get a
temporary residency. On august 2017 the criteria for the temporary residency was
published, 200 Sudanese from the region of Darfur who are 45 years or older and
entered Israel before October 2011.135
It should be noted that 200 asylum seekers
from Darfur that are 45 years old and older are just a small group of the asylum
seekers in Israel, about 15,000 are waiting for a decision in their requests. Even those
200 were not recognized as refugees.
In another case an Ethiopian women who infiltrated Israel in 2007 that was declined
refugee status in Israel for several times, lived with an Israeli citizen and is the mother
of his child (who is an Israeli citizen). In here appeal to the court against the refusal of
the state to grant her a status in Israel, the state declared that: "the Israeli citizenship
of a minor is not a reason to grant a parent without a status, a legal status in Israel.
The principal of the minor best interest is not absolute while the Population and
Immigration Authority have the right to consider the Israeli migration policy and the
state interest not to give foreigners a status in Israel overcomes the minor best
133
In Hebrew: http://hotline.org.il/legal-action/ali2015/ 134
Asaf Weitzen, Director of Legal Department Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, Phone Call,
12/07/2015. 135
In Hebrew: https://www.gov.il/he/Departments/news/sudan_darfur_notice
interest." On June 2016 the judge ruled the case should be returned to the
humanitarian committee for further examination.136
During the period of 2016/2017 the trend of encouraging people under non-deportable
status to leave Israel continued to be the main goal of the government policy. In the
work plan of the Population and Immigration Authority for the years 2017-2018 one
of the four main goals of the Authority is: "the reduction of the illegal resident and the
handling of the infiltration phenomenon. The plan focuses on promoting the voluntary
leaving, the maximum use of the open facility and enforcement on people who are
violating the terms of the resident permit and employers of infiltrators".137
The pressure on the population of non-deportable under group protection to leave
continued using several methods, voluntary departure is being practiced under the
Attorney General conditioned and his approval of the safe relocation policy on the
following criteria:138
There are no wars or general disturbances taking place in the third countries;
No UNHCR recommendations exist against relocation to the third countries;
The life and freedom of the individual are not at risk in the third countries
based on race, religion, nationality or membership in a particular social or
political group;
Relocated individuals in the third countries will have access to the asylum
procedure or enjoy temporary protection, or, at a minimum, these countries are
obligated to abide by the non-refoulement principle;
Torture or cruel and degrading treatment are prohibited in the third countries;
The third countries are obligated to allow the relocated individuals the means
to live in a dignified manner (or at least the possibility to stay and to work for
a living).
136
In Hebrew: court appeal 1945-14. 137
In Hebrew:
https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/reports/work_program_of_piba_2017_2018/he/work%20program%20o
f%20the%20Population%20and%20Immigration%20Authority%20for%202017-18.pdf 138
Answer of the Israeli Immigration and Population Authority to the UK Home Office, 21/03/2016
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/543854/CIG_-_Eritrea_-
_Illegal_Exit_-_v3.0__August_2016_.pdf (P. 51-53)
It should be noted that despite the absence of a clear declared policy, in addition to the
state’s continual refusal to legislatively regulate the treatment of the population
eligible for non-deportation through legislation, and the toughening of the treatment
of this population by the Ministry of Interior, there have been marked improvements
in accessibility to services provided by the Ministries of Health and Social Affairs
during the years 2016-2017 (while preserving the rights of minors granted by the
Ministries of Education, Health and Social Affairs thus far). Yet, Human rights
organization claim the policy is simple, to make the lives of the asylum seekers and
others under group protection hard so they will leave Israel.
In August 2016, the Tel Aviv Municipality announced that it intended to convert a
school in its jurisdiction and under its responsibility into a school for children of
foreign citizens. This is part of providing a response to the increasing numbers of the
population of non-Israeli minors living in its locality. The municipality's
announcement was met with vehement criticism on the part of the Prime Minister and
other ministers. Tel Aviv Municipality claimed that it was acting according to the
requirements of the law. Israel has a population of minors who are children of
foreigners that numbers several thousand and they are entitled to free education from
age 3 by law. In various places in Israel, in recent years, there have been problems in
registering the children of foreign citizens (the absolute majority of these are the
children of those entitled to temporary non-deportation) in education frameworks.
Nevertheless, the law and court opinions are clear and in every case that has reached
the courts; the court has ordered the authorities to find a place and solutions for the
children of foreign citizens in the education system in their locality.
In June 2017, it was announced that the Immigration Authority had commissioned a
study on the situation in Eritrea from an organization that supports the deportation of
infiltrators. The commissioning of the study was approved by the tenders' committee
of the Authority even though it did not comply with the standards. An appeal was
launched against the commissioning of the study; human rights organizations argued
against the selection of a body to conduct the study that was acting to deport
infiltrators and asylum seekers. In the court proceedings, the Immigration Authority
took the position that the research was intended to show the factual improvement in
the situation in Eritrea so that it would pave the way for deporting Eritreans back to
their country. The Court encouraged the Authority to cancel the tender for procedural
reasons and the Authority complied.
Government Decision
Decision 1043 from January 24 2016 the government decided to promote a new
amendment to the infiltrators law. The new amendment was approved less than a
month later.139
Decision 1125 from February 11 2016 the government decided to promote the
voluntary leaving of infiltrators to third countries or their countries.140
Legislative changes
Prevention of Infiltration Law (Violations and Adjudication), 1954:
The Prevention of Infiltration Law, The deposit scheme, High Court rulings and
new Amendments 2016-2017
Immediately after the new legislation several Human Rights organization appealed
against it to the High Court.141
On August 11 2015, less than one year after the
cancelation of the last amendment the High Court gave a new ruling, this time the
court didn’t canceled the new amendment. The high court ordered to shorten the
maximum custody period from 20 months to 12 months, for the people who were
detained in "Holot" and ordered the Knesset to change the Maximum period in the
new amendment in not more than 6 months.142
Amendment Nu. 5 changed the law
according to the last high court ruling on February 2016.
In addition to the new changes concerning the open facility, a new amendment in the
infiltration law from January 2017,143
set a deposit for the people under temporary
group protection. The deposit It should be noted that the deposit for infiltrators (36%
of his salary, 16% employer part and 20% worker part) is much higher than the
deposit for foreign worker (not more than 700 NIS a month which equals about 15%
of the minimum wage). Another difference is that according to the new legislation an
infiltrator leaving Israel will be able to get not more than 67% of that amount of
139
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1043.aspx 140
In Hebrew: http://www.pmo.gov.il/Secretary/GovDecisions/2016/Pages/dec1125.aspx 141
In Hebrew: http://www.acri.org.il/pdf/petitions/hit8665.pdf 142
In Hebrew: http://elyon1.court.gov.il/files/14/650/086/c15/14086650.c15.htm 143
In Hebrew: http://fs.knesset.gov.il//20/law/20_lsr_366894.pdf
money.144
On May 2017, the new deposit regulation become effective. On June 2017
the finance and labor ministries singed a new regulation to lower the new deposit to
16.5% from the worker and 12.5% from the employer (3.5% less) the correction to the
new regulation were not singed by the interior minister and therefor were not ratified.
There is an appeal to the high court against the new deposit regulation.145
The UNHCR respond to the deposit as a part of the appeal process.146
In the response
submitted to the court the UNHCR criticize the scheme for a Deposit in the aspects
concerning the UNHCR destination population in Israel from the following reasons:
The scheme is at variance with international refugee and human rights law.
The scheme constitutes unlawful penalization for irregular entry.
The scheme is detrimental to the ability of maintaining an adequate standard of living.
The scheme interferes with the right to engage in wage-earning employment.
The scheme fails to ensure the right to equal remuneration for work of equal value,
social security and property.
In the conclusion it is stated that: "UNHCR considers the deposit of funds scheme
constitutes a penalty contrary to Article 31 of the 1951 Refugee Convention. UNHCR
further considers that these amendments will have a major negative impact on the
basic rights of asylum-seekers and persons in a refugee-like situation. Owing to the
high rate of the deduction, and its discriminatory and punitive nature, the new
provisions may further deprive persons in need of international protection of their
right to a decent living and enjoyment of associated basic rights, with dire
consequences for them and their families".147
The deposit is a significant burden on the Infiltrators population. In a lot of cases
infiltrators are resigning working places and begin to work undocumented, this new
trend is in the source of many complaints against workers exploitations. In the few
cases in which infiltrators left Israel since the new regulation they haven't got their
144
This data from the state answer to the high court (in Hebrew): http://www.acri.org.il/he/wp-
content/uploads/2015/01/hit8665meshivim2-5-0115.pdf 145
In Hebrew: http://www.acri.org.il/he/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/bagatz2293-17-asylum-seekers-
wages.pdf 146
http://www.acri.org.il/he/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/bagatz2293-17-asylum-seekers-wages-
UNHCR-0717.pdf 147
Ibid
deposit, employers testify they can't deposit the deposit money. There are also
complaints against the calculations of the deposit reduction.148
Appeals Court
Further to an amendment to the Entry into Israel Law, legislated in 2011, an appeals
court regarding resolutions related to this law was founded in June 2014. The original
bill included a suggestion to found a court for foreigners, and the name was changed
following a criticism. The court is authorized to address all matters regarding the
status and the immigration of foreigners into Israel and is directly subject to the
Ministry of Justice (the Executive Authority) and not to the Administration of Courts
(the Judicial Authority).
The Appeals Court (an administrative court) deals with all subjects related to appeals
by foreigners with regard to their status (decisions of the immigration authority). The
judges in this court are appointed by the Ministry of Justice. The court is
overburdened and this contributes to lengthy delays in the procedures. Furthermore,
the process of appealing decisions of the court is complicated and the Supreme Court
constitutes the second instance of appeal, rather than the first as was customary in the
past. It has been claimed that the appeals courts do not make decisions based on
general principles. Nevertheless, in September 2016, the Jerusalem Court of Appeals
issued a decision rejecting the opinion, written by the legal advisor to the Immigration
Authority, according to which desertion from the Eritrean Army, does not constitute a
reason for obtaining refugee status. The State has announced its intention of appealing
this decision.
Employment policy149
Illegal Migrants and some of the Asylum Seekers come to Israel mainly because of
better earning opportunities than in the neighboring countries. As noted, most migrants
receive a residence permit based on their eligibility for group protection. The residence
permit is not a work permit and does not confer on asylum seekers a right to work in
Israel, but nevertheless almost all holders of a residence permit are engaged in work.
The lack of clarity on the employment rights of illegal migrants and asylum seekers,
compounded by the absence of enforcement against employers in sectors and
148
Noa Kaufmann, Kav LaOved, Interview, 01/08/2017 149
In Hebrew: http://www.piba.gov.il/SUBJECT/FOREIGNWORKERS/Pages/oz_mistanenim.aspx
employment centers with a high percentage of unauthorized workers, and by the failure
to educate both employers and migrant workers on the subject, are apparently key
reasons why forms of criminal abuse which formerly were practiced against
documented foreign workers are today the subject of complaints among undocumented
workers.
As noted, the possibility of working in Israel was a strong drawing point for infiltrators
and is recognized as the main reason for the new wave of asylum seekers from former
USSR states. Demand on the part of employers is not abating mainly in tourism and
restaurant industry, which also contributes to the uptrend in the number of illegal
migrants and asylum seekers. The demand stems from the willingness of the illegal
migrants and asylum seekers to work in conditions that are inferior to accepted
conditions in Israel, and even to those prescribed in the law, as well as without
documentation or reporting. The demand for these workers in certain sectors is a major
factor in the expansion of the infiltration phenomenon. This population is not aware of
its rights, and the enforcement entities in charge of enforcing the labor laws with
respect to foreign workers in Israel do not enforce their rights.150
The possibility of
exploiting foreign workers, paying them less than the minimum wage and employing
them in violation of the Hours of Work and Rest Law, sector collective agreements and
protective labor laws are among the main laws reasons for the preference of foreign
workers over Israeli workers. During 2016-2017 the government didn’t change the
policy regarding infiltrators in the labor market. Meanwhile most of the asylum seekers
who entered Israel as tourist started to work right after entering Israel and getting
recognized as asylum seekers.
Since 2015 the state hardened the burden of Texas on people entitled to group
protection by several means as canceling the credit points which are given to residents,
and even claimed that they had never been entitled to these points. The Tax Authority
issued retroactive tax assessments to the employers of people from this population and
the State won in legal procedures that had been filed against this decision. Reducing
the tax credit points and the credit to the employer for employing the worker,
significantly affected the profitability of employing people entitled to group protection.
150
See in greater detail: The Knesset Research and Information Center, Supervision to Ensure the
Working Rights of Foreign Workers, Gilad Nathan, August 15, 2011 (in Hebrew),
http://www.knesset.gov.il/mmm/data/pdf/m02953.pdf.
It should be noted that the surcharge on employers of people under group protection is
higher than the surcharge being paid by other groups of employers. In construction and
hotels the employer pay 15% while employers of people under group protection most
pay 20%. Other groups of TMW and daily workers' pay less or not pay at all.
The vague employment policy and the transience of status given to those entitled to
non-deportation also directly contribute to offences committed against workers from
this population. Dismissing pregnant women, delaying payments, not paying the
minimum wage and not providing medical insurance were all offences that have been
consistently reported to the organizations aiding workers and foreigners. It should be
noted that in cases in which the government intervened (as can be learned from the
example below) the situation was improved:
Infiltrators summoned to the Holot detention facility complained that they did not
receive severance pay with the cancellation of the visa allowing them to work. In light
of the many complaints received, the Head of the Section in Charge of Foreign
Workers’ Rights at Work in the Ministry of Economy issued an advisory opinion
whereby employers are obligated to pay severance pay to infiltrators whose temporary
stay permits have been cancelled and/or who decided to leave Israel voluntarily. 151The
aid organizations estimate that the advisory opinion has a positive effect, and that
employers who receive the advisory opinion pay severance pay in most cases.
Another problem with the employment of those entitled to non-deportation has to do
with tax benefits that are related to status. An employer employing a person who
resides in Israel legally is entitled to a tax deduction. When those entitled to group
protection are removed to a detention facility or when they voluntarily leave the
country, the Tax Authority demands a refund of the tax benefit. When this occurs,
employers deduct the refund from the remainder of the funds due to the employee.
Those new amendments, the deposit and the cancelation of the tax benefits will make
the employment of Infiltrators under group protection very expensive to employers and
the workers from this group will have a significant decrease in their ability to earn
money to be used during they stay in Israel. It should be noted that the percentage of
employment among Infiltrators under group protection is very high and those new
amendments could cause a significant decrease.
151
In Hebrew: http://www.moital.gov.il/NR/exeres/169E39BF-B620-4357-A6D2-5945700668EA.htm
The UNHCR and some human rights NGO'S and employers tried to offer a model that
will regulate the work of people under group protection and help to better dissolves this
population in Israel. This model hasn't been adopted by the authorities.
It is notable that in recent years, the government has adopted a series of actions to
provide the eligible population with group protection from exclusion from the labor
force through infringing on the workers' rights and by increasing the costs of
employing them for the employers. Owing to the fact that the wages paid to most of the
members of this population are in any case at the lowest level of earnings, there is a
risk that rights' organization and employers' organizations have warned about, that the
most recent decrees will not make it possible to sustain life with dignity and will be an
unbearable burden for workers from this population and their ability to sustain
themselves as well as for the employers.
On September 2017 the High Court ruled in an Appeal of several decisions of Districts
Court. In his ruling the High Court rejected the claims of employers of people under
protection from exclusion (mainly in the cleaning and hotel industry) that they don’t
have to pay the employer's levy on foreign workers since they're employee are not
foreign workers (TMW) but asylum seekers. The high court ruled that: "In this context,
one should not distinguish between the employer of a foreign worker by permit and the
employer of workers from Eritrea and Sudan who hold temporary residence permits.
The purpose of this duty is to increase the cost of employing foreign workers in order
to encourage the employment of workers, residents and citizens of the State of Israel.
This is a legitimate goal, and there seems to be no basis for intervening in it".
The levy on employers of foreign workers can be as high as 20% of the worker wages,
yet most of the times the Tax authority demands only 10 to 15 percent. The high court
ruled as the district courts before him that not just that there is no ground to cancel the
decision to take the levy but that companies who work for the state or the local
authorities are not allowed employing "not Israeli workers" mainly in the services
industry. The High Court decided to ask the Attorney General to decide about the
question of the right of employers of people under protection to Participate in
Government and local authorities' tenders.
Holding in detention facilities
The Population and Immigration Authority continue and issues summonses for more
people than could be sent to the facilities. Summonses should only have been issued for
adult men without families, however in reality there are known cases wherein those
who were supposed to be exempt were also summoned.
On August 07 2016, a new criterion was published for summoning Infiltrators to
"Holot".152
Under the new criteria every male between the ages of 18 and 60, who was
not recognized as a trafficking victim nor has no family, can be summand unless he
requested for asylum before the 16.02.12015 and still awaits an answer. People who
were already in custody since 2014, the period they have been in custody will be
reduced from the 12 months. Sudanese who are from Darfur are also not to be
summand. Yet there are being summand according to Sigal Rosen from the hotline for
migrants people from Darfur are being summand and although they claim to be from
Darfur and should be interviewed, only in cases in which the hotline is submitting a
request for an interview in behalf of a person the interview is being made.153
The condition and terms of the people being in Holot were and still are being debated
in courts. On June 2017 the high court ruled in 4 cases against the Israeli prison service
(who is operating the open facility Holot).154
The high courts ruled in favor of the
appealing against the state and decided that people who have to live in the open facility
will be able to bring with them to the facility Hygiene and electricity products. The
high court ordered that the state will house only 6 people in every room and not ten.
There is an ongoing process in an appeal about the condition of food in the facility and
after another appeal about the absence of computer classrooms the state will provide 3
computer classrooms with 15 computers in every classroom and internet connection.155
At the Saharonim facility, there are some 1000 detainees from three main groups: new
infiltrators are held there up to three months and are then supposed to be transferred to
Holot; subjects of West African countries who have not been able to prove their
citizenship and are stuck in Israel without it being possible to deport them; people who
have been interned for criminal proceedings and people staying at Holot who have
152
In Hebrew:
https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/policy/stay_permit_interview_procedure/he/10.9.0001.pdf 153
Sigal Rosen, Hotline for Migrants, Interview, 01/08/2017. 154
In Hebrew: https://www.haaretz.co.il/st/inter/Hheb/images/psadhol.pdf 155
Oded Feller, the association for civil rights in Israel, Interview, 02/08/2017
been transferred to Saharonim as punishment. All these groups are subject to constant
pressure to leave; according to human rights organizations the pressure includes
intimidation and threats. At the Holot facility there are no defined rules and as a result,
arbitrary punishment is meted out that includes fines and transfers to Saharonim.
Internees could appeal to a detention tribunal, but there is no detention tribunal in the
facility.
Internment/deportation to a third country of persons eligible for temporary
group protection who have already entered Israel
Since 2012 the population of people who infiltrated Israel and are under group
protection is in decline. More and more people from this group leave Israel to other
countries by themselves, as a part of a voluntary leave program or with the help of the
UNHCR and human rights organizations.
Since 2013, there is a program for voluntary leave of Israel for Infiltrators who are
recognized for group protection. The state signed agreements with two third country
in Africa (Uganda and Rwanda) to transfer/remove Infiltrators from Sudan and Eritrea
from Israel over to that country.156
Israel has not published the name of the country,
nor has it presented the agreement. It should be noted that in protocols that are made
with candidates for deportation the state representatives declares that Uganda or
Ruanda are the destination countries.157
In the recent years the UNHCR started helping people who can be recognized as
refugees by the UNHCR criteria and were not recognized in Israel from states as
Sudan, Eretria and several other African and Asian states, to leave to third countries
as Canada, Australia, USA and several EU member states as a part of resettlement
program. The UNHCR detects the most difficult cases of people under his protection
that are suffering from medical problems or have been victims of slavery and torture
and are not being treated in Israel and helps them to get a status in another state.158
156
In Hebrew
http://main.knesset.gov.il/Activity/committees/InternalAffairs/News/Pages/pr_280813.aspx 157
Oded Feller, ARCI, Interview 06/07/2015 158
Sharon Harel, UNHCR Israel, phone Call, 06/08/2017
Table 71: Submissions for resettlement 2009-2016159
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Total
37 26 24 24 104 182 145 238 780
Another group is the group of people mainly from Eritrea and Sudan who leave Israel
to a third country not through the state program for voluntary leave or as a part of an
UNHCR resettlement program but in individual process of family reunifications
mainly to developed countries as Canada or EU member states.
Since January 2014 more than 15,000 infiltrators and asylum seekers left Israel to
other countries. In the years 2014-2015 mainly to other states in Africa (mainly
Uganda, Ethiopia and Ruanda).In recent years there is a change and more are leaving
to other states were they are being recognized as refugees or through the process of
family reunion.
In the voluntary program of the state, every adult got a flying ticket and 3,500$, every
Minor a flying ticket and 1,000$.
Since the second quarter of 2014 asylum seekers and non-deportable foreigners have
been significantly less forthcoming to the option of consensual deportation and as a
result the number of voluntary deportations has also decreased substantially. Claims
were made that contrary to promises, the third party countries to which foreigners are
deported are not willing to allow their stay or their application for asylum, and ask for
their immediate deportation to their origin countries, where they might be in danger
(mainly people who are deported to Ruanda testifies they are being transferred
immediately to Uganda) 160.
It should be noted that since the third quarter of 2014, there are reports of a higher
number of infiltrators and asylum seekers who are willing to leave Israel to a third
country in Africa or that are looking for another state that will give them a refugee
status. The African community in Israel suffers from the ambiguousness of the
government policy, the lack of leadership (must of the community leaders are
detained in Holot and Saharonim facilities, or have left the country, and the growing
159
Sharon Harel, UNHCR Israel, Email, 14/08/2017 160
In Hebrew: http://hotline.org.il/publication/withoutfreewill/
uncertainty about the future. The government policy is to encourage infiltrators and
people under group protection to leave Israel.
Table 72: Africans leaving to a third country by Nationality 2013-2017
Sudan Eritrea Other African
States
Total
2013 1,687 268 657 2,612
2014 4,112 1,691 611 6,414
2015 600 2,480 301 3,381
2016 390 2,629 227 3,246
01-06.2017 132 1,832 117 2,081
2014 was the record year and since than the numbers are in decline, yet from the data
of the first half of 2017 it can be assumed that even if the number of the leaving won't
be as high as it was in 2014, it will be higher than in 2015-2016. There is stability in
the extent of the Eritrean but there is a 90% decries in the number of Sudanese and
around 33% in the numbers of Other African State citizen.
On May 2015 The Immigration Authority announced that the process of voluntary
leaving will change again. The new procedure will include examination of the
infiltrators in "Holot" open facility, all that have not requested an asylum will be offer
to leave Israel voluntarily and those among them that will refuse to leave voluntarily
will be subjected to a hearing process that will examine they're imprison in
"Saharonim" closed facility.161
The Association for civil rights in Israel appealed
against the new procedure (for the second time) on July 2015.162
On August 28 2017 the high court ruled that Israel can deport Infiltrators to a third
country but they have to do it willingly and can't be holed in a facility for more than
60 days if they refuse to leave voluntarily.163
On September 03 2017 the Interior
Minister announced that he will change the regulation so that in the future asylum
seekers who will refuse to voluntary deportation from Israel will be hold for 60 days
in custody and afterwards will get a staying permit that will not enable the permit
holders to work.
161
http://www.piba.gov.il/PublicationAndTender/pr/Pages/310315.aspx 162
http://www.acri.org.il/he/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/hit5126.pdf 163
In Hebrew: http://elyon1.court.gov.il/files/15/010/081/C29/15081010.C29.pdf
Health services for foreigners without medical insurance
Recent years have seen increasing use by medically uninsured non-Israelis of the
Israeli public health system. in light of the awareness of the availability of health
services among this population (not only although mostly illegal migrants and asylum
seekers), the Ministry of Health decided to set up, on the basis of the volunteer
doctors' clinic located in the Tel Aviv area, a permanent clinic (the refugee's clinic)
with the full funding of the ministry, that will provide preliminary treatment to non-
Israelis who lack medical insurance.
During 2016 some clinics of NGO'S and hospitals that treated foreign without status
or insurance, who needed medical and mental treatment ran out of funding. The
mental health "gesher" (bridge) clinic that started to treat people without health
insurance in 2014, can't take any new patient since June 2016. The open clinic of the
NGO Physicians for human rights, after major cuttings in the budget it was receiving
from the state hospital "Aichilov" in recent years, lost its budget in July 2016.164
On May 23 2016, in a parliamentary discussion the subject of the medical treatment
of foreigners was discussed, the discussion was a follow up discussion to examine the
implementation of the state comptroller report from 2014 (63G).165
The outcomes of
the discussion were that nothing much has changed and the medical treatment for
foreigners without status and insurance is very partly and limited and given only in
the center of Israel. It should be noted that at least in the declaration level, there is a
change in the attitude of the Health and Social Service ministries. They ministries are
admitting that the situation can't continue. Yet there is no major change in the budget
spent on this population.
Table 73: Ministry of Health budget on unreportable population 2016/2017 In
NIS
2016 2017
Rem clinic 3,944,000 4,109,000
Mental Health clinic 840,000 900,000
164
Dr. Zoe Gutzeit, Physician for Human Rights, Phone Call, 21/09/2016. 165
In Hebrew: http://www.mevaker.gov.il/he/Reports/Report_248/af07752c-7845-4f1d-ae97-
23c45c702624/102-ver-5.pdf?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
http://main.knesset.gov.il/Activity/committees/Pages/AllCommitteesAgenda.aspx?Tab=3&ItemID=57
9189
(gesher)
Childern care stations and
Vaccination
1,362,000 1,362,000
Aids and Tuberculosis 6,500,000 6,500,000
Shelters for trafficking
victims
473,000 473,000
Soroka and Holot clinics 9,000,000 9,000,000
Minor Health Insurance 11,450,000 11,450,000
Other (Medicine,
Abortion, Nursing care,
rehabilitation)
1,400,000 2,000,000
Total 34,969,000 35,794,000
The state estimates that in addition to the budget spending on services for the
uninsured population of unreportable persons, there are hospital spending on
treatments to people who are not insured and can't pay for the treatment are about 40
million NIS every year.
It should be noted that even in the cases that foreign working in Israel are being
insurance by the employers, the private insurances are not always sufficient for
covering the need of people who work in Israel and live in it for long periods of time.
There is also a problem of people that had insurance and then were summand to
"Holot" facility. In any case of being treated during the time they were working and
had insurance, due to the 12 months period they were in the facility with no work and
no insurance, they have lost their right to be insured.166
Examination of Asylum Requests
On 2016, at a time when the number of new requests for asylum reached the highest
point in all years (7,566), the Committee for Examining the Recommendations for
asylum requests convened only 4 times. No extra personnel were added nor were any
units of the Population and Immigration Authority, which deals with requests for
asylum, added so that the queues and the waiting times to submit the request and the
166
Dr. Zoe Gutzeit, Physician for Human Rights, Phone Call, 21/09/2016.
interview became longer. This trend continued in 2017. Even as the number of asylum
seekers was growing and the asylum seekers from the former USSR (mainly Ukraine
and Georgia) were increasing steadily, it was clear that the Population and
Immigration Authority was not able to cope with the increase in the number of asylum
seekers and to examine all the requests. As in previous years, today too most of the
rejected requests are from asylum seekers who have left the borders of Israel.
The rise in the number of asylum seekers who have arrived as tourists places great
pressure on the only office of the Population and Immigration Authority to which
applications may be submitted. A person wishing to submit a request in Israel must
come to the offices where he will be given a note stating the date on which he must
appear in order to submit his application for asylum. This date is usually several
months after his first appearance at the office. The pressure on the bureau is enormous
and hundreds of people wait each day just to enter the bureau. In June 2017, the
Appeals Court determined that a system for administering and registering the queues
and the asylum seekers must be put in place even if they did not manage to get in to
the bureau itself.
In November 2016, the Appeals Court ordered that Eritreans and Sudanese must be
allowed to submit requests for asylum even if they were rejected due to a delay in
submitting their request. Up to June 2017, 1620 new requests for asylum were
submitted – of these only 3% were evaluated. In June 2017, the Legal Advisor to the
Population and Immigration Authority, Daniel Salomon, stated at the Knesset's State
Control Committee that the State is delaying making a decision about asylum requests
from Eritreans and Sudanese until the Supreme Court publishes its opinion about the
matter of involuntary deportation of the asylum seekers to a third country. Thereafter
the attitude to asylum requests would be different.
Stay Permit Renewal
Until December 2013 members of the population entitled to non-deportation had been
able to renew their permits (renewal was required every three months) at 24 offices of
the Ministry of Interior. In December 2013, the number of offices was reduced to only
three (later on four more offices were reopened) and service hours within which
permits could be renewed were reduced as well.167
This created a greater work load
for the offices, and made stay permit renewals more difficult.168
Permit holders had to
devote several days for their permit renewal and risk detention because of an expired
permit or the loss of their workplace due to prolonged absence. In July 2014 the
number of offices was reduced again to a mere three offices.169
It should be noted that
the permit was given first to period of 3-6 months and is now given for a period of
two months. In Eilat the office is open for renewal of the permit only twice a week
and for only 11.5 hours a week altogether. Every service day hundreds of people wait
but only about 50 are getting a renewal.
On June 2017 the number of offices was reduced to only two, one in Bnei Brak (near
Tel Aviv) and the other in Eilat. An appeal to cancel decision was subjected to the
high court.170
Family reunification between asylum seeker and an Israeli resident
In a new case of a request for family reunification between an Israeli citizen and an
asylum seeker from Sudan, the state requested from the Sudanese asylum seeker
papers from his origin state he couldn’t provide. The district court ordered the state to
precede with the family reunification procedure without a verdict, the state still
conceder her answer.
Asylum industry
As noted there is a significant increase in the number of asylum seekers who entered
Israel on a tourist visa mainly from former USSR states and requested asylum. There
are evidence that those asylum seekers are coming to Israel Using services of
individuals and companies who advertise in the source countries that asylum seekers
can work in Israel and that the process of requests examination is very long. In Tel
Aviv near the only Immigration authority office that asylum seekers can apply to
there is an office that offer asylum seekers services and help in the process.171
167
http://hotline.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Rwanda-or-Saharonim-EN-web.pdf In Hebrew:
http://hotline.org.il/7ways/ 168
http://hotline.org.il/en/publication/no-safe-haven/ 169
In Hebrew: http://www.piba.gov.il/SpokesmanshipMessagess/Pages/RenewVisa.aspx 170
In Hebrew: http://hotline.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/4284-17-עתירה-באר-שבע.pdf 171
Noa Kaufmann, Kav LaOved, Interview 01/08/2017
Israelis are waiting in the airport for tourist mainly from Ukraine and Georgia, give
them the forms for asylum requests and guide them on how to apply.172
There is also
suspicion of Human Trafficking in the case of asylum seekers who paid for coming to
Israel, people pay for false papers as entering visa. There are evidence to exploitation
of workers and sexual violence against asylum seekers after they enter Israel and the
labor market.173
The fact that the processing process of asylum requests is very long
time makes the exploitation of the people who enter the labor market while waiting
for an answer easier.
172
Sigal Rosen, Hotline for Migrants, Interview, 02/08/2017 173
Reut Michaeli, Hotline for Migrants, Interview, 02/08/2017
6. Victims of Human Trafficking
In recent years (since 2012) Israel is listed in Tier 1 in the American State department
yearly report about Human Trafficking (Trafficking in persons report).174
16 years ago
Israel was in Tier 3 and most of the last decade (since 2004) Israel was in Tier 2
including 2 years in Tier 2 watch list.175
Israel was and still is a destination country for men and women subjected to force
labour and women for sex trafficking. Since the beginning of the century when Israel
was a destination country for thousands of women subjected to direct sex trafficking.
The situation in Israel changed significantly. Israel anti trafficking law and its
enforcement, the cooperation of the different government organs and NGO'S under
the leading of the coordinator for the struggle against trafficking, and the
rehabilitation system for victims of human trafficking, are the major instruments that
were and are still being used in the struggle against trafficking in persons. The use of
those instruments abolished the trafficking in person as it was practiced s in Israel till
the mid of the last decade.176
In recent years the numbers of recognized victims of trafficking is much lower. Most
of the recognized victims of trafficking belong to three groups:
Victims of infiltrators who were victims for several kinds of trafficking in
their way to Israel through the Sinai Peninsula.
Victims of trafficking for prostitution.
Victims of trafficking subjected to force labor.
In recent years since Israel is being listed in Tier 1, there is a critic from the side of
NGO'S and other care organs in the field of combating trafficking and prostitution and
of human and foreign workers rights, that although there are changes in the methods
174
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/258876.pdf 175
Tier 1: The Government of…. fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.
Tier 2: The Government of …. does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of
trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so.
Tier:2 watch list: The Government of …. does not fully meet the minimum standards for the
elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Despite these measures,
the government did not demonstrate overall increasing anti trafficking efforts compared to the previous
reporting period;
Tier 3: The Government of …. does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of
trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so.
176
In Hebrew: https://www.knesset.gov.il/mmm/data/pdf/m02891.pdf
of trafficking for prostitution, the government is not doing enough to identify the
changes, to struggle against new ways of trafficking and to identify and help the
trafficking victims. There is also critic about trafficking and related criminal offenses.
In the case of slavery conditions and labor trafficking the main claim is that there is
not enough inspection and mainly a lot of slavery condition cases are simply not being
recognized, Due to lack of enforcement. There is an agreement among the Authorities
and the NGO'S that although the shelters are not full and the number of recognized
cases, the main reason may not be the abolishment of trafficking and slavery
condition in Israel but not enough identification of possible victims among TMW and
other population groups of not Israelis.
On 2016-2017 there is more evidence to increase in trafficking to Israel, more women
enter Israel with tourist visa and are being found in Strip club and in Whorehouses.
There is an increasing awareness that this phenomenon has the markings of trafficking
and it is clear to the handling agencies and the aid organizations that women do not
descend into these occupations without human trafficking. There is also a growing
consciousness that the police does not have effective responses to locate and identify
the victims of trafficking and of other offenses among the immigrants since its special
response unit was disbanded and this contributes to a rise in instances of human
trafficking for prostitution and employment in conditions of slavery.
Torture and human trafficking victims who arrived in Israel from Sinai
Amongst those who infiltrated to Israel, there are some who are identified as victims
of torture and trafficking. The vast majority of whom, were tortured and trafficked.
Since the completion of the fence and the decline in the number of entrances, there are
almost no new identified victims. There are still victims who are being identified for
past torture and/or trafficking, several years after they first entered Israel.
Between July 2009 and January 2016, approximately 282 people (most of whom
women) have been recognized as victims of torture and trafficking. According to aid
organizations this is a low recognition rate, and the actual population is much larger,
by a few thousands of individuals who could have been recognized. Sigal Rosen from
the hotline for Migrants (NGO) claims that thousands were victims of torture and
forced labor but people who were torture but not forced to work can't be recognized
and in a lot of cases victims are not aware to the fact they were working (for example
people who were forced to work but weren't paid don’t admit they worked) or man
that were victims of rape are not willing to testify they were raped.177
Reut Michaeli
from the hotline for Migrants (NGO) claims that the main problem today about
victims of human trafficking is that they are not being identified.178
In 2014-2017
there are more claims from the side of people under group protection who are being
summand for a hearing before being sent to Holot facility that they were victims of
forced labour and sex trafficking. According to Dina Dominitz the Coordinator of the
struggle against trafficking in Persons, the police got about 4,000 claims and only in
10% of the cases the police found initial evidence,179
which is needed for granting a
status for victims and entrance to the shelters.
The numbers of the recognized victims are not high, there is a decline in the number
of entrances to Israel since 2012, which gives a partly explanation to this fact. The
other possible explanation that is being claimed by the human rights NGO'S is that the
recognition process is not officiant. The Coordinator of the struggle against trafficking
in Persons office will start a pilot program for Detection and identification of victims
and humanitarian cases.180
Sex trafficking victims and slavery conditions among TMW (Women)
In recent years after a period of decline there is a new growth (yet substantially lower
than in the years 1995-2004) mainly since for citizen of Russia, Ukraine and some
other former USSR states, no entrance visa in required, women from those states enter
Israel on a tourist visa and engage in the local sex industry (prostitution and striptease
clubs). It is hard to prove who those women are being trafficked but it is also evident
that there is trafficking. The state authorities are aware of the new phenomena. In
2016/2017 as it was in 2015/2016 the state authorities and the NGO'S indicate there is
a regression to trafficking and slavery condition that were used in the past against not
Israeli women in prostitution.181
According to the Coordinator of the struggle against
trafficking in Persons that is clear that women are being requited and brought to
177
Sigal Rosen, Hotline for Migrants, Phone Call, 02/08/2015. 178
Reut Michaeli, Hotline for Migrants, Interview, 07/08/2016. 179
Dina Dominitz, Coordinator of the struggle against trafficking in Persons, the Ministry of Justice,
Phone Call, 20/09/2016. 180
Dina Dominitz, Coordinator of the struggle against trafficking in Persons, the Ministry of Justice,
Phone Call, 27/08/2017. 181
Reut Michaeli, Hotline for Migrants, Interview, 01/08/2017
Israel.182
If in the recent years women came alone on a tourist visa worked for 3
months and got at least 50% of the money they have earned, in 2016/2017 there are
again indicators of sex trafficking and slavery conditions, among them: rape of
women by pimps, or the demand from the women to pay "debts" to the pimps. Yet
other indicators and condition that were known before as taking the women passports
or holding them in an apartment are not being used in recent years.183
Another phenomenon is slavery condition of women TMW mainly in home care
sector. The number of recognized TMW recognized victims was and still is very law.
Table 74: New recognized victims of Trafficking in shelters 2004-2015 (Women,
total number and main categories)184
Total
number of
new
victims
VICTIMS OF
SEX
TRAFFICKING
Trafficking
and slavery
condition of
TMW
Slavery and
sex
trafficking
of African
women
Other
2004 118 118
2005 52 52
2006 46 46
2007 34 29 2 3
2008 17 12 5
2009 19 6 10 2 1
2010 16 6 4 6
2011 17 8 8
2012 34 11 23
2013 39 6 2 31
2014 28 11 3 13 1
2015 24 13 1 9 1
2016 24 13 3 3 5
01-07.2017 9 2 2 3 2
182
Dina Dominitz, Coordinator of the struggle against trafficking in Persons, the Ministry of Justice,
Phone Call, 27/08/2017. 183
Ibid 184
In Hebrew: Frames for victims of human trafficking 2015/2016/2017 reports.
The total number of recognized trafficking and slavery condition is in a constant trend
of decline. It should be noted that there is a growing awareness to improve the
detection and identification of possible victims.
Human rights organization claim that the law numbers of recognized victims of sex
trafficking is an evidence to the inability of the state to deal with the changes in
trafficking. In one case 10 women that were arrested in a striptease club were
deported without being questioned. In another case 2 women were arrested and
imprisoned for managing a whorehouse although they were only 10 days in Israel, in
the end they were recognized as victims. There are more police raids Initiated and led
by the State Attorney's Office.185
Another claim is that no significant effort is being made to locate TMW women
working in home care sector. In 2015 80% of the new recognition cases were by
NGO'S and not by the authorities.186
Dina Dominitz agrees that there are some cases
that are not being recognized by the authorities but indicates that in recent years most
of the women who can be recognized as victims and get a victim status are not willing
to cooperate and prefer to leave Israel. Among the women in this group there are
women who enter Israel on a tourist visa for several times engage in prostitution and
continue to other states to do the same. Dominitz states that it is very hard to persuade
those women to testify and get a recognized trafficking victim status.187
Victims of trafficking subjected to force labor (men)
In 2015 for the first time since 2009, no new male victims of labor trafficking were
recognized and sent for treatment in the shelter for male trafficking victims. In the
years 2009-2015 148 TMW trafficking victims were recognized and entered the
shelter. In 2017 as it was in 2016, no TMW were identified as slavery condition
victims. It should be noted that there are cases in recent years in which TMW are
being taken from an employer that is suspected in not providing the minimum
conditions to his workers and even some cases of slavery condition investigation, yet
185
Dina Dominitz, Coordinator of the struggle against trafficking in Persons, the Ministry of Justice,
Phone Call, 27/08/2017. 186
Reut Michaeli, Hotline for Migrants, Interview, 07/08/2016. 187
Dina Dominitz, Coordinator of the struggle against trafficking in Persons, the Ministry of Justice,
Phone Call, 20/09/2016.
in most of those cases the TMW prefer not to enter the shelter but to change the
employer.
Table 75: New recognized victims of Trafficking in "Atlas" Shelter 2009-2015
(Men, total number and main categories)188
Total number
of new victims
Slavery of
African
Slavery
condition of
TMW
Other
2009 50 1 49
2010 63 6 57
2011 10 7 3
2012 57 25 32
2013 26 24 2
2014 27 21 5 1
2015 25 25
2016 12 12
2017 18 17 1
The Coordinator of the struggle against trafficking in Persons office is supporting
more transparence in informing TMW about their legal rights and in expanding the
hot line for TMW complaints for all the TMW and in every language.189
As in the case of women trafficking victims there is a claim that there is not enough
enforcement against employers of TMW and since there is not enough inspection
there is not enough awareness to the working and living conditions of TMW. While
the NGO'S report on TMW abuse and trafficking condition, there are less
investigations of the side of the authorities.
It should be noted that the regulations that allow judge to order the deposit of a
security deposit in labor law suits against employers of not Israeli workers, cause a
deep concern among NGO'S even part of the state organs since one of the ways to
identify slavery conditions use among employers is in court process.
188
In Hebrew: Frames for victims of human trafficking 2016 report. 189
Dina Dominitz, Coordinator of the struggle against trafficking in Persons, the Ministry of Justice,
Phone Call, 20/09/2016.
New Trends and Phenomenon's
A new amendment of the foreign workers law
The amendment allows the interior minister not to renew a permit to employ foreign
worker if he was convicted in a trafficking or holding in condition of slavery offense.
Trafficking of asylum seekers
There is a growing awareness to the possibility of trafficking for labor in people from
former USSR states who enter Israel and ask for asylum. The authorities are aware
that companies with offices in Israel and in the source countries offer services and
offer to help in getting a working permit Even though it is a fraud.
A new national plan in the struggle against human trafficking
During 2017, work was undertaken to consolidate a new national plan in the struggle
against human trafficking in general and of women for purposes of prostitution. The
terms of this new program will take into account changes in the patterns of trafficking
and the difficulties in coping with trafficking in general and this may include the
establishment of a mission-oriented police unit to handle the problem and establishing
additional frameworks for shelters to treat victims of trafficking and enslavement,
where other shelters are not suited to them.
Trafficking in Deaf-Mute persons
In recent years, dozens of deaf-mute people from the former Soviet Union who have
been begging have been arrested in Israel. The phenomenon is familiar to the
authorities and there is a clear suspicion that these people are being trafficked by
organized crime. However, due to threats against people who gave testimony and
returned from the testimonies after being threatened, the enforcement authorities have
no witnesses who are willing to testify on the matter.
7. International Students in Israel190
Data about the foreign students in Israel is not regularly and systematically published.
The Central Bureau of Statistics publishes data based on the number of people with a
student visa who were present in Israel on a specific day in the second semester; they
numbered 4,500 students. It should be noted that the data is partly and is not including
post Doc students or academic prep school students.191
In June 2016, the Council for Higher Education (CHE) published up-to-date data
about non-Israel students in institutions under its aegis. Not all the institutions of
higher learning are supervised by the Council for Higher Education. It should be
noted that, among the non-Israeli students, there is a large group of students who are
entitled to citizenship in terms of the Law of Return and, at any moment, can acquire
Israeli citizenship and/or residency. There are dozens of international programs (study
programs in English) suited for non-Israeli students; the vast majority of these (65)
are active programs for the Master's degree in English. There are also dozens of
summer programs. On 2017 the CHE didn’t published new data, the CHE develops
the method for future data gathering and publication.192
Absorbing non-Israel students is not especially well-developed in Israel and it is only
in the last few years that there have been advancements. The main policy change is
that the State of Israel has defined it as an objective to promote cooperation with India
and Asia and is awarding scholarships for students from those countries; this is in
addition to the cooperation with the European Union and the partnership in the
Erasmus+ program. The government has established a number of scholarship
programs for students and researchers. 193
International students are a fraction of the number of students in Israel. A new study
published by the Israeli Council for Higher Education, reviles that the number of
international students studying in the High Education system was around 12,000
students, and from this number only about 47% (4,700) were not Jewish (and
190
Unless noted otherwise all the data in this chapter: Maoz L. VP for strategy and internationalism
Counsel for Higher Education, Background Paper Update on international students in Israel, Email,
July 12 2016. 191
Marica Gross, Council for Higher Education, Email, 28/06/2017 192
Ibid 193
http://che.org.il/en/?page_id=21278
therefore can't get an Israeli citizenship automatically when willing). This number
does not include the "agriculture students". In comparison to the average OECD rate
of foreign students 9%, The Israeli rate of 1.3% is very law.
The Israeli CBS data for the university year 2013/2014 was 4,500 international
students. This data is only about students for a degree in a higher education institute
that were in Israel at a specific date that are not listed in the Israeli population
registry. The CBS data for 2015-2016 4,613 students shows a small growth.194
The CHE estimated the number of international students in 2015/2016 academic year,
in all the higher education system in Israel at about 12,000, 84% of those in the 7
research universities and the IDC college.
Table 76: International students in division to programs 2015/2016 (CHE Data)
Total Jews General %
Research 2,210 500 1,710 22%
Full Degree
Studies
4,010 2,980 1,030 40%
Academic
Experience
3,850 1,890 1,960 38%
total 10,070 5,370 4,700
Out of the 4,700 international students who are not Jews, 40% come from the USA
and 30% come from Europe. Among research students the majority comes from
Europe and Asia.
Table 77: International students in division to programs 2015/2016 (CBS Data)
Total B.A M.A PhD
Total 4613 2,303 1,769 540
Universities 3,514 1,359 1,614 540
Academic
Centers
1,099 944 155 -
194
Marica Gross, Council for Higher Education, Email, 28/06/2017
In the programs for B.A students the major study field of international students is
Social Studies (33%) and the second is Nature Studies and Mathematics (30%). In
M.A programs Medicine and para Medical studies (30%), Humanities (30%) and
Social Studies (25%). Among PhD students 45% are in Nature studies followed by
Humanities with 32%.
Table 78: International Students rate in Israel and the OECD
First Degree Second Degree PhD
Israel 0.7% 2.9% 6.1%
OECD Average 6% 14% 24%
In recent years most of the foreign students in Israel come from North America (34%)
and Europe (including the Russian Federation) (20%). In recent years (since the
academic year of 2012/2013) the Israeli Council for Higher Education and the
ministry of Finance began a program to develop the academic cooperation with India
and China. In the Plan there are programs of scholarships for students from India and
China to study in Israeli Universities.195
The number of students from Asia is growing
slowly. Among post doctorates he is much higher than in any other group. Among
post doctorates the share of not Israelis is much higher, in 2015/2016 there were 2,140
post doctorates researchers in Israel, almost 50% (1,019) were not Israelis. A bit more
than a quarter (515) were from China and India.
Israel is a partner in the Erasmus+ EU program. Between 2007 and 2013 127 students
and faculty members from Europe studied and worked in Israeli universities. Since
2015 and till (01/06/2016) 469 students (194) and faculty staff (275) from Europe
studied and worked in Israeli Universities. It should be noted that the number of
Israeli students and faculty staff studding and working in European institute is much
higher for the same period of time (1,176).
There are 13 programs for B.A students in English, 65 programs for M.A students
and, there are also some dozens of shorter programs.
195
http://che.org.il/en/?page_id=21246
Table 79: Post Doc Researchers in Israeli Universities 2015/2016 (CHE Data)
Total
number of
Post Doc
Israeli
Post Doc
International
Post Doc
International
Post Doc
percent
Chainies
and Indian
Post Doc
Chainies and
Indian Post Doc
percent
TLU 336 223 113 33.4% 47 42%
Tech 290 107 183 63.1% 104 57%
HUJI 528 260 268 51% 130 49%
WI 453 200 253 56% 113 45%
BIU 123 75 48 39% 20 42%
BGU 291 161 130 45% 83 64%
HU 132 84 48 37% 14 29%
OPENU 17 11 6 37% 4 67%
Total 2,140 1,121 1,019 47% 515 51%
Post Doc International students are in much higher rate than the other groups of full
students and researchers.
On September 2016, the Israeli Council for Higher Education published her new six
year program (2017-2022).196
One of the new main projects of the program is
increasing the number of international students in Israel to 25,000 till 2022. The
program will be directed in increasing the numbers of M.A, PhD, post Doc students
and short term students. Programs budget will be 450 million NIS in 6 years. Most
of the money (300 million NIS) will be invested in the global studying experience
(short term studies). As a part of the program the CHE started to publish information
in English about the programs in the CHE site.197
Through the site an international
student can find information and apply for studies in every institute under the
supervision of the CHE.
Table 80: Current number of International Student and the plan for 2022
B.A
students
M.A
students
PhD
STUDENTS
Post
Doctorates
Short term
students
2016 3,600 1,600 800 1,000 5,000
2022 4,000 3,000 1,000 2,000 15,000
196
In Hebrew: http://che.org.il/?p=41866 197
http://studyinisrael.che.org.il/study-in-israel#masthead
8. Emigration from Israel
Between 1990 and 2014 526,600 Israeli citizens left Israel for a period of a year or
more. 229,700 returned to Israel during this period, 296,900 have stayed abroad. From
this population group, 139,600 were immigrants from the former USSR. 30,100 from
them returned to Israel, 109,500 stayed abroad.198
This trend continued in 2013
16,200 Israelis left Israel for more than one year and only 8,900 Israelis who stayed
abroad more than a year came back to Israel. The Migration Balance was negative as
it was in recent years.199
95% of the emigrants in 2014 were Jews and others, only 5% were Arabs, same as in
recent years. Among the Jews and others group, 46% (45%) were born in Israel and
56% (55%) were born abroad. Among the Emigrants that were born abroad 74%
migrated to Israel since 1990.
The Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) estimated the number of Israelis living
abroad between 552,000 and 585,000 at the end of 2013 and between 554,000 and
589,000 in the end of 2014. This estimation is based on the number of Israelis who
left Israel since 1948 (1948-2015) and never returned (720,000), and an estimation of
the number of people who died abroad. It should be noted that this number doesn’t
include descendants of Israeli emigrants.200
Table 81: estimated number of Israeli Emigrants 2011-2015201
Estimation of
Emigrants Average
Estimation
Growth Growth Rate
2011 562,000 - -
2012 565,500 +3,500 0.63%
2013 568,500 +3,000 0.53%
2014 571,500 +3,000 0.53%
2015 575,000 +3,500 0.59%
There is no change in the trend of slow growth in the estimated population of Israeli
citizen living abroad.
198
In Hebrew: http://www.cbs.gov.il/www/publications/alia/t3.pdf
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201601243 199
In Hebrew: http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201501221 200
In Hebrew: http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201601243 201
In Hebrew: http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201301231
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201701234
Table 82: Migration backlog 2011-2015 (Israelis who are abroad for longer than
a year)
Immigration
backlog
Backlog to 1,000
residents
Emigrants (more
than a year abroad)
2011 -6,700 0.9 16,200
2012 -7,100 0.9 15,900
2013 -7,300 0.8 16,200
2014 -6,800 0.7 15,700
2015 -8,200 1 16,700
The Migration backlog of Israel remains negative with no significant changes in
recent years.
Table 83: share of different groups of population among Emigrants 2011-2015
Israeli Jews Israeli Arabs Israeli not
born in Israel
Male
2011 95% 5% 49% 54%
2012 95% 5% 49.4% 55%
2013 95% 5% 46.2% 55%
2014 95% 5% 51% 55%
2015 95% 5% 54% 53%
There are no significant changes in the recent year's emigration among main groups of
population and gender. The share of Israeli citizen who were not born in Israel and
emigrate is higher than among Israeli born citizen. Most of the migrants are Male.
Departure and Return of Israelis
The data of departures of Israelis living in Israel and abroad is published. Although
we can't learn from this number on the actual number of Israelis departing Israel (the
criteria for this category is that an Israeli citizen who lives abroad and had been in
Israel for a visit or two at must is), we can assume that the number of Israelis living
abroad that visit in Israel and go back abroad is growing staidly, but they're share
among the Israelis going abroad is declining with the general growth in the number of
Israelis traveling abroad. More than 255,000 departures are after a visit of Israelis
living abroad, an increase of 43,000 since 2009.
Table 84: Departure of Israelis and Israelis living abroad 2009-2016 (In
Thousands)202
Total number of
Israelis
Departure
Departures of
Israelis living
Abroad
Percentage
Of Israelis living
abroad
departures
2009 4,005.9 211.7 5.3%
2010 4,269.1 212.3 5%
2011 4,387.2 213.5 4.9%
2012 4,348.6 220.5 5.1%
2013 4,756.7 227.6 4.85
2014 5,180.7 231 4.5%
2015 5,891.1 251 4.3%
2016 6,780.9 255 3.8%
The growth in the number of Israelis leaving abroad departing is lower in the growth
in the number of Israeli residents departing.
Table 85: Departures and Returns of Israelis staying abroad for one year or
more 2009-2015203
Departures Return Migration
Balance
2009 15,900 11,000 -4,900
2010 15,600 10,200 -5,400
2011 16,200 9,500 -6,700
2012 15,900 8,800 -7,100
2013 16,200 8,900 -7,300
2014 15,700 8,800 -6,900
2015 16,700 8,500 -8,200
202
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/shnaton/templ_shnaton.html?num_tab=st04_01&CYear=2017 203
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/shnaton/templ_shnaton.html?num_tab=st04_10&CYear=2017
In comparison of the movement of emigrants and return residence to Israel yearly, the
emigration balance in the year's 2009-2015 is negative and this trend is growing
steadily.
8.1 Emigration of academics who have graduated they're high studies
in Israeli high Institute
Since July 20 2015 the Central Bureau of Statistic started to published another partly
data, this time about graduates of Israeli high education institute that are living abroad
more than three years. 204
In the first publication (till 2014, the data was for the years
1984-2008). The publication since are for the years 1980-2009.205
On 2016 30,007 (2015: 27,826), 5.6% of the 532,291 (5.6% 495,868) academics who
got a degree from an Israeli institute between 1980 and 2009) were living abroad for
three years or more. Among graduates of third degree 10.9% (11%) the percentage of
the living abroad is higher than among graduates of first 5.7% (5.6%) and second
4.5% (4.5%) degree. Among engineers, medical doctors and graduates of nature
studies the percentage of the living abroad is higher than among graduates of social
studies and humanities. Among immigrants to Israel that have made a degree the
percentage of emigrants is higher than among people who were born in Israel.
According the CBS the trends have slightly changed in 2015 and 2016 there was a
slight growth in the number of first and second degree graduates living abroad for
more than 3 years. Among PhD graduates there was no change of trend.
Table 86: rates of emigration (three years and more abroad) Total and among
Israeli born 2014-2016
Total Emigration
rate
First
Degree
Second
Degree
M.D PhD
Israeli
born 2014
367,567 3.7% 3.7% 2.9% 6.2% 7.1%
Total
2014
447,455 4.9% 4.9% 4.1% 7.6% 10.3%
204
In Hebrew: http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201506191 205
In Hebrew: http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201706203
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201606221
Israeli
born 2015
403,589 4.1% 4.2% 3.1% 7.2% 7.3%
Total
2015
495,868 5.6% 5.6% 4.5% 9.2% 11%
Israeli
born 2016
433,574 4.1% 4.2% 3.1% 7.2% 7.2%
Total
2016
532,291 5.6% 5.7% 4.5% 9.3% 10.9%
The share of Israeli born emigrants among people who studied in the Israeli higher
education system is lower than the general share and much lower than the share of
former students who weren’t born in Israel. Between 2014 and 2016 there was a
growth in the share of both categories among emigrants. Graduates of PhD or MD
degree tend to emigrate more than other groups of degree owners.
Table 87: rates of emigration (three years and more abroad) among Israeli born
and immigrants to Israel 2016
Total Emigration
rate
First
Degree
Second
Degree
M.D PhD
Israel 367,567 4.1% 3.7% 2.9% 6.2% 7.1%
USA 8,901 16.3% 16.7% 14.8% 27.7% 13.4%
USSR 36,055 14.8% 14.1% 13.5% 16.6% 29%
Brazil 845 14.6% 14.5% 14.4% 9.1% 17.2%
Canada 1,039 17.2% 16.8% 16.6% 29.1% 14.5%
South
Africa
1,516 15% 16.9% 11.5% 8.9% 13.6%
Argentina 4,492 13.8% 13.4% 13.6% 5.1% 19.6%
UK 2,199 13.6% 14.9% 12.2% 12.1% 9.4%
Uruguay 1,002 15.6% 16.3% 12.8% 15% 20.5%
France 3,399 9.8% 10.7% 8% 4% 9.4%
Total 532,291 5.6% 5.7% 4.5% 9.3% 10.9%
While the increase in the number of Israeli born graduates of the high education
system who emigrated is slow and the total number of emigrant is less than 5%, and
the total number of emigrants from this group is slightly above 5%. The share in the
number of Israeli higher education graduates who weren’t born in Israel and have
emigrated is much higher, between 10 and 17 percent.
Table 88: Migration Balance between returned residents who have made a
degree in Israel and Emigrants who left Israel for more than 3 years 2012-2016
New Departures
(more than 3
years)
Returns (more than
2 years
Migration Balance
2012 3,621 585 -3,036
2013 2,098 868 -1,230
2014 2,036 885 -1,151
2015 2,000 710 -1,290
2016 1,947 664 -1,283
The outflow of high education degree graduates is lower in recent years than it was in
2012 and yet the migration balance of Israeli degree graduates is negative and more
high educated people who graduated the Israeli high education system are emigrating
from Israel than immigrating back to Israel.
9. Statistical Appendix
Table 89: Temporary Immigration as a part of the general population206
Israeli
residents
Migrants (not
including
permanent
immigrants
and daily
workers)
Total number Percentage of
the not
permanent
Immigrants
2010 7,695,100 217,800 7,912,900 2.75%
2011 7,836,600 238,393 8,074993 2.95%
2012 7,984,500 240,390 8,224,890 2.91%
2013 8,134,500 229,593 8,364,093 2.72%
2014 8,252,500* 227,319 8,477,886 2.69%
2015 8,345,000* 227,293 8,571,490 2.67%
2016 8,585,000* 227,128 8,799,919 2.64%
2017 8,696,300** 237,037 8,933,337 2.65%
* September ** June 2017
The share of Temporary Immigrants in Israel was in decline since the end of 2011. In
2011-2012 the main decrease was in the number of work migrants, since 2013 the
main decrease is in the number of Infiltrators and undocumented. In 2016-2017 the
decline trend changed mainly due to the increase in the number of asylum seekers
from former USSR states.
Table 90: Not Israelis as a part of the employee jobs207
Palestinians Not Israelis nor
Palestinians
Total
2011 1.2% 2.9% 4.1%
2012 1.3% 3% 4.3%
2013 1.5% 3.2% 4.7%
206
http://www.cbs.gov.il/shnaton67/st02_01.pdf
http://www.cbs.gov.il/publications17/yarhon0817/pdf/b1.pdf
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201601304
in Hebrew: http://www.piba.gov.il/PublicationAndTender/ForeignWorkersStat/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/newhodaot/hodaa_template.html?hodaa=201511099
https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/generalpage/foreign_workers_stats/he/sum_2014_final.pdf 207
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/shnaton/templ_shnaton.html?num_tab=st12_38&CYear=2017
2014 1.7% 3.1% 4.8%
2015 1.9% 3.1% 5%
2016 2.2% 3.1% 5.3%
The share of un-Israeli employee jobs in the Israeli labour market continues to grow.
There is stagnation in the share of TMW but the share of Palestinian workers is in
constant growth.
Table 91: Not Israelis average wages208
Not Israelis Palestinians Not Israelis
nor
Palestinians
Average
Wage
2011 4,619 3,690 4,344 8,563
2012 4,892 3,988 4,616 8,784
2013 4,922 4,173 4,678 9,000
2014 5,041 4,046 4,682 9,145
2015 5,384 4,326 4,982 9,347
2016 5,739 4,383 5,185 9,557
The wages of Palestinians and other not Israeli workers in the Israeli labour market
although increasing in recent years constantly are still significantly lower than those
of Israeli workers.
Table 92: Permanent Migrants
Year Number of Olim
(permanent
Migrants)
Average of
Olim in a
month
Increase/Decrease
2005 22,806 1900.5 -
2006 20,955 1746.2 -7.7%
2007 19,856 1,654.6 -5.2%
2008 15,875 1,322.9 -20%
2009 16,738 1,394.8 +5.4%
2010 16,633 1,386.1 -0.7%
2011 19,020 1585 +14%
2012 18,511 1,542.6 -2%
2013 19,558 1,629.8 +5.7%
2014 26,627 2,219 +36.1%
2015 31,013 2,584.4 +16.5%
2016 26,900 2,241.6 -13.4%
01-06/2017 11,500 1,916.6 -
208
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/shnaton/templ_shnaton.html?num_tab=st12_36&CYear=2017
The number of Permanent Migrants declined between 2005 and 2010. It was
increasing steadily in the following years and reached the monthly average of 2,584 in
2015 and started to decline again in 2016.
Table 93: Main Immigration Countries of permanent migrants (more than 100
immigrants) 2016 in division for every two months
Total 11-12 9-10 07-08 05-06 03-04 01-02 country
7,099 1,501 1,207 1,086 1,257 1,161 888 Russia
5,928 1,429 719 961 1,064 953 802 Ukraine
4,676 601 586 1703 773 497 516 France
2,933 37715 403 1,261 391 268 236 USA
651 135 99 180 96 80 61 Belarus
630 91 97 166 84 90 104 Brazil
544 75 85 165 68 73 68 UK
357 56 67 88 71 47 28 Canada
276 28 65 53 27 26 77 Argentina
263 47 27 65 44 31 49 South Africa
218 43 35 56 34 23 27 Belgium
203 20 31 55 33 34 30 Italy
202 29 31 33 49 32 28 Uzbekistan
192 46 23 32 27 32 32 Moldova
174 30 37 31 21 30 25 Georgia
171 34 14 40 33 29 23 Kazakhstan
155 24 19 45 25 19 21 Australia
153 23 25 25 31 21 28 Germany
131 21 15 43 23 14 15 Azerbaijan
111 10 28 23 27 6 17 Swiss
109 21 63 17 5 1 2 Ethiopia
There is a decline in the total number of Olim in 2016 and in the number of main
source countries. As in recent years in the months of the school summer vocation
there was the pick of the permanent migrant entrance to Israel 23% of all migrants in
2016.
Table 94: Permanent Migrants and Returning Residents total numbers and main
countries 2012-2016
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Number of
Permanent
Migrants
18,511 19,558 26,627 31,013 26,900
Number of
Returning
residents
8,489 7,185 7,269 7,009 8,816
Total number of
Olim and
Returning
Residents (Total)
27,000 26,743 33,896 38,022
35,716
Share of Olim of
the total number
68.5% 73% 78.7% 81.4% 76.5%
USA Olim 3,074 3,030 3,283 3,068 2,933
USA Returning
Residents
3,744 3,041 2,837 2,650 2,728
USA Total 6,818 6,071 6,120 5,668 5,671
Russian
Federation Olim
3,566 4,094 4,687 6,716 7,099
Russian
Federation
Returning
Residents
242 169 164 259 245
Russian
Federation Total
3,808 4,263 4,851 5,975 7,344
Ukraine Olim 2,100 1,982 5,921 7,170 5,928
Ukraine Returning
Residents
199 141 222 177 211
Ukraine Total 2,299 2,123 6,143 7,347 6,139
France Olim 1,923 3,263 6,658 7,469 4,676
France Returning
Residents
330 238 456 427 334
France Total 2,253 3,501 7,114 7,896 5,010
Canada Olim 352 385 404 452 357
Canada Returning
Residents
589 487 458 384 335
Canada Total 941 872 862 836 692
The shares of Olim grow between 2012 and 2015. It stayed above the average after
the change of trend in 2016. The USA is the only source country in which the number
of returning residents is similar to the number of Olim.
Table 95: Main Countries of Immigration and return to Israel from the 4 main
immigration countries (more than 10,000) in total numbers and percentage 2012-
2016
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Total
Total 27,000 26,743 33,896 38,022 35,716 161,377
USA 6,818
(25.3%)
6,071
(22.4%)
6,120
(18.1%)
5,668
(14.9%)
5,671
(15.8%)
30,350
Russian
Federation
3,808
(14.1%)
4,263
(15.9%)
4,851
(14.3%)
5,975
(15.7%)
7,344
(20.6%)
26,241
France 2,253
(8.4%)
3,501
(13.1%)
7,114
(21%)
7,896
(20.8%)
5,010
(14%)
25,774
Ukraine 2,299
(8.5%)
2,123
(7.9%)
6,143
(18.1%)
7,347
(19.3%)
6,139
(17.2%)
24,051
4
Countries
Total %
56.3% 59.3% 71.5% 70.7% 67.6% 106,416
(65.9%)
The growth trend in the share of the 4 main countries of which migrants and returned
residents are coming to Israel from stopped in 2015 and changed to decline in 2016,
Yet the 4 main origin countries share is still above two thirds of all permanent
migration. There is a constant growth in the share of Ukraine and the Russian
Federation.
Table 96: Temporary Migrant Workers In Israel (Main Sectors) 1995-2017*
Agriculture Construction Care Givers Total
1995 13,000 45,500 4,200 62,700
2000 22,000 62,500 19,000 103,500
2010 26,000 7,000 53,700 96,700
2014 22,618 7,112 54,792 84,522
2015 21,973 7,854 57,432 87,259
2016 23,074 9,344 60,740 93,158
01/2017 23,154 9,551 61,482 94,187
02/2017 23,894 9,871 62,158 95,923
*Quota in Agriculture and Construction in the years 1995, 2000 and 2010
After a decade of decline in the number of TMW in Israel between 2004 and 2014,
the total number of TMW is steadily increasing.
Table 97: Labor immigration and mixed migration in Israel
Workers who
entered Israel with
working Visa
Workers who entered
Israel without
Working Visa
Infiltrators
including Asylum
Seekers from
Africa
Total
(All the numbers
are in thousands)
64 46 - 110 1995
90 74 - 164 1996
89 75 - 164 1997
93 94 - 187 1998
85 102 - 187 1999
86 128 - 214 2000
104 139 - 243 2001
102 124 - 236 2002
85 104 - 189 2003
80 98 - 178 2004
98 80 - 178 2005
102 84 1 191 2006
110 90 6 196 2007
115 107 15 237 2008
118 101 20 239 2009
90.5 95 32.3 217.8 2010
90 92 55 237 2011
85.4 93 62 240.4 2012
83.1 93 54.2 230.3 06.2013
86.7 90 52.9 229.6 2013
86.9 90 48.2 225.1 06.2014
89.9 90 46.4 225.4 2014
91.9 91 45.1 228 06.2015
93.1 79 43.2 215.3 2015
96.7 78.5 41.5 217.2 06.2016
100.1 74 40.2 214.8 2016
102,250 74 39.27 215.52 03.2017
104,199 74 38.54 216.739 06.2017
The decline in the number Infiltrators Asylum Seekers and Workers who entered
Israel without Working Visa continues to contribute to the stability in the total
number of labour migration and mixed migration in recent years. Yet it can be noticed
that there is a constant growth in the number of labour migrants who entered Israel
legally since 2013. In 2015 due to a change in the calculation of workers who entered
Israel without a working visa, there is a significant decline in this group total number.
In 2017 the numbers slightly increases again due to the increase in the number of
labour migrants who entered Israel legally.
Table 98: Agriculture Labor Force 209
Total Israeli TMW Palestinians
69,600 50,600 13,000 6,000 1995
68,600 44,500 18,000 6,100 1996
67,000 42,200 17,000 7,800 1997
69,400 41,300 17,000 11,100 1998
70,000 43,100 17,000 9,900 1999
69,200 42,200 22,000 10,000 2000
62,500 36,500 28,000 4,000 2001
67,700 36,700 28,000 3,000 2002
67,500 36,300 28,000 3,200 2003
71,700 40,200 28,000 3,500 2004
70,200 40,700 26,000 3,500 2005
65,600 36,100 26,000 3,500 2006
68,200 36,200 28,000 4,000 2007
67,800 39,400 28,000
(23,900)
4,500 2008
70,250 40,100 27,500
(24,800)
5,250 2009
81,100 47,100 26,000
(23,500)
8,000 2010
78,100 42,600 26,000
(23,500)
9,500 2011
80,780 51,300 25,400
(21,050)
11,000 (8,429) 2012
76,683 47,200 25,000
(20,620)
12,000 (8,863) 06.2013
74,847 43,100 25,000
(22,346)
(9,401) 12,150 2013
67,990 38,050 25,000 (8,432) 9,550 06.2014
209 2008-2017 – Including seasonal workers.
(21,508)
72,436 39,900 25,000
(22,618)
12,950
(9,918)
2014
70,390 37,700 26,000
(21,973)
12,850
(10,717)
2015
69,601 36,800 26,000
(22,446)
11,150
(10,355)
06.2016
73,807 38,900 26,000
(23,074)
14,750
(11,833)
2016
73,486 40,000 26,000
(23,254)
14,000
(10,232)
03.2017
In recent years there is a decline in the total number of agriculture workers in Israel.
2010 was a record year and since the total number of agriculture workers declined in
more than 11,000 workers. While the number of Palestinian and TMW is stable, the
number of Israeli agriculture workers declined in about 10,000 workers.
Table 99: Construction Labor Force210
Total Israeli Palestinians TMW
127,600 71,600 56,000 - 1989
193,500 107,600 85,900 - 1992
185,300 118,300 61,000 6,000 1993
193,100 125,000 46,900 21,200 1994
227,600 144,100 38,000 45,500 1995
245,100 149,900 33,100 62,100 1996
257,500 146,700 42,400 68,400 1997
236,900 116,600 57,800 62,500 2000
219,500 117,000 23,400 79,100 2001
211,200 118,700 13,100 79,500 2002
207,900 129,800 18,000 60,100 2003
193,000 128,700 15,500 48,800 2004
187,800 134,400 18,500 34,900 2006
205,600 150,200 22,500 33,000 2007
213,700 150,700 26,600 36,400 2008
167,500
(205,600)
144,000 15,500
(27,200)
8,000 (33,400) 2009
199,500
(203,000)
173,000 19,500
(20,000)
10,000 (7,000) 2010
192,000 163,300 19,500 9,500 2011
210 2009-2010 quota of foreign and Palestinian include illegal workers.2011-2012 only quota's.2013-
2014 quota's and the actualization number.
196,500 165,000 24,500 7,300 2012
196,786 163,200 27,500
(27,008)
8,000 (6,578) 06.2013
198,687 165,800 32,500
(27,155)
8,000 (6,742) 2013
214,733 177,100 32,500
(31,735)
8,000 (6,918) 06.2014
215,047 172,600 37,100
(35,335)
8,000
(7,112) 2014
224,737 180,700 37,100
(35,993)
8,000 (8,044)
06.2015
235,855 187,400 41,100
(40,601)
20,000 (7,854) 2015
238,674 187,400 45,100
(42,481)
16,500
(8,793)
06.2016
245,925 188,300 54,100
(48,281)
16,500
(9,344)
2016
251,574 189,600 58,100
(52,423)
16,500
(9,551)
03.2017
In recent year (Since 2012) parallel to the stagnation of the foreign workers number
there is a constant increase in the number of Israeli and Palestinian workers in
Construction. Since mid-2015 there is also a rise in the number of TMW. In 5 year
more than new 50,000 new workers entered the labor force most of them Palestinians
(28,000) than Israeli workers (24,600) and TMW (2,250).
Table 100: foreign workers with experts working visa
Total Without a valid
visa
With a valid visa Foreign workers
with experts
working visa
3,415 1,135 2,280 2009
3,041 716 2,325 2010
3273 741 2,532 2011
3770 791 2,979 2012
3709 831 2,878 2013
3732 918 2,814 06.2014
3,599 757 2,842 2014
3,811 741 3,071 06.2015
4,115 757 3,358 2015
4,626 775 3,851 06.2016
5,411 784 4,627 2016
6,069 775 5,294 03.2017
6,177 788 5,389 06.2017
Through the years 2009-2017, there is a steady upward trend in the number of
immigrants with experts working visa. Since the end of 2015 the growth rate is higher
than in recent years.
Table 101: Not Israelis working in Israel (Main Populations, in thousands, 2000-
2017)
African
Infiltrators
and
Asylum
Seekers
Temporary
Migrant
Workers
Un
Documented
Foreign
Workers
Palestinian Total
2000 - 128 86 100 314
2005 - 80 98 25 203
2010 32.3 95 90.05 29.5 217.8
2011 55 92 90 30 267
2012 62 93 85.4 47.35 287.75
2013 52.9 90 86.7 51.45 281.5
2014 46.4 90 89.9 56.85 283.15
2015 43.2 93.1 79 58.15 273.45
2016 40.27 100.145 74 67 281.415
06.2017 38.54 104.199 74 69.53 286.269
The change in the calculation of undocumented workers for 2015 lowered the number
of not Israeli workers so is the constant decline in the number of infiltrators. Yet the
number of Palestinian workers and of documented TMW continues to grow steadily.
To this number we can add about 21,000 asylum seekers who are not Africans and are
mainly man from Eastern Europe who are integrated to the Israeli labor force.
Including this group to the total number of not Israelis working in Israel and the total
number is more than 300,000 almost as the record number of the year 2000.
Table 102: Employee Jobs Temporary Migrant and Palestinian Workers 2004-2016211
Number of Employee Jobs
(in Thousands)
Percentage of all Employee
Jobs
2004 68.6 2.7%
2005 74.5 2.9%
2006 78.9 2.9%
211
http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/shnaton/templ_shnaton.html?num_tab=st12_38&CYear=2017
2007 88.8 3.2%
2008 108.4 3.7%
2009 110.8 3.8%
2010 117.1 3.8%
2011 128.6 4.1%
2012 140.8 4.3%
2013 156.6 4.7%
2014 168.0 4.8%
2015 177.7 5%
2016 194.0 5.3%
There is a constant increase in the total number and share of temporary migrant
workers and Palestinian employee job since 2004.
Table 103: Employee Jobs of Palestinian Workers in Agriculture and Construction (In
Thousands) 2011-2016212
Palestinian in
Agriculture
Percentage of
all workers
In sector
Palestinian in
Construction
Percentage of
all workers In
Sector
2011 9 11.3% 18.2 10.4%
2012 10.3 12.6% 21.3 11.4%
2013 11.4 13.9% 26.9 13.5%
2014 12.5 15.2% 34.2 16.2%
2015 13.2 16.4% 39.8 17.7%
2016 14.7 17.2% 48.5 19.6%
There is a constant growth in the total number and share of the Palestinian workers in
construction and agriculture. In construction the growth is much more significant and
sharp. This trend should continue in 2017.
Table 104: Employee Jobs of Temporary Migrant Workers (TMW) in Agriculture and
Construction (In Thousands) 2011-2016213
TMW in
Agriculture
Percentage of
all workers in
Sector
TMW in
Construction
Percentage of
all workers
In Sector
2011 23.7 29.6% 10.3 5.9%
2012 23 28.1% 10.2 5.4%
2013 22 26.8% 11.2 5.6%
2014 22.4 27.3% 10.5 5%
2015 20.6 25.7% 11.6 5.2%
2016 22.7 26.6% 13.0 5.3%
After a small decrease in the number and share of temporary migrant workers in
agriculture in 2015 there was an increase in 2016. In construction the trend of small
increase continued. This trend should continue to increase in 2017.
212
Ibid, http://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/shnaton/templ_shnaton.html?num_tab=st12_39x&CYear=2017 213
Ibid
Table 105: Average Wages (NIS) per Employee Job of Temporary Migrant Workers
2011-2016214
Average
wages
for
Workers
from
Abroad
Agriculture Construction Accommodation
and food
Services
Administrative
and support
service
Social
work
activities
and
home
care
other
2011 4,619 4,890 7,054 6,525 3,352 2,401 7,917
2012 4,892 5,139 7,711 6,380 3,639 2,564 8,179
2013 4,922 5,310 7,102 6,335 3,788 2,685 7,985
2014 5,041 5,363 7,405 6,661 3,744 2,752 8,540
2015 5,385 5,664 7,370 7,061 4,024 2,941 9,154
2016 5,739 5,937 7,847 7,604 4,181 3,090 9,577
The trend of stable growth in the wages of TMW continued. The general raise of the
minimum wage continued to be the main reason for this growth. It should be noted
that in comparison to Israeli workers the average wages of not Israeli workers are
lower.
In construction were the wages were higher than in the other branches the wages
slightly decreased in 2015. The Average wages of social work activities and home
care temporary migrant workers is based on the National Security (BTL) reports to
the CBS. Most of the TMW are not being employed through the companies that work
with the BTL and that is one reason for the low reported wage.
The wage per hours in the sector is low but since the workers in most cases are
working more than 8 Hours a day and 45 Hours a week, it is fairly safe to assume that
the reported wages in the CBS yearly report are lower than the actual wage, which is
still lower than the average wages for Temporary Migrant Workers.
Table 106: Employee Jobs of Temporary Migrant Workers in Home Care
TMW in Home Care
25,900 2011
26,100 2012
26,800 2013
27,800 2014
27,900 2015
29,000 2016
This CBS data of employee jobs in home care sector shows that there is a gap
between the numbers of workers that is almost dabbling the number of employee jobs.
214
Ibid
The number of employee jobs is much lower than the number of migrant home care
workers. The reason is that the CBS data is based on the National Security reports.
The fact that about half of the employee jobs are not reported indicates that about half
of the employers are not paying the national security payments to the workers or at
least do not report.
The CBS number of employee jobs and the total number of workers and unreported
employee jobs was growing steadily since 2011. This trend should continue in 2016.
Table 107: International Students (CBS Data)
Year Number of International Students
2014/2015 4,500
2015/2016 4,613
There is a small growth in the number of international students but the numbers are
still very low in comparison to the goals of the governmental plan.
