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Local and Foreign Companies and Expert Workers in Israel

Joshua Pex
Joshua Pex

This article will address the topic of local and foreign companies and expert workers in Israel.  In the past there were more differences in the process to bring a foreign expert worker to Israel depending on whether it was a local or foreign company that sought to do so, but this is no longer the case.  There is one main difference, discussed in the exemption section below.

Companies and Expert Workers in Israel

Companies and expert workers in IsraelRegardless of whether one has a foreign or local company, one may bring a foreign expert worker to Israel with a B1 visa if they can prove that they need a foreign worker who has particular expertise in an area that other Israelis do not.  The Israeli Ministry of Interior seeks to limit the number of visas it issues to foreign experts to maintain jobs in Israel for Israelis.

A Few Conditions for Hiring Foreign Expert Workers

The company hiring a foreign expert worker must pay the worker twice the average salary in Israel.  This applies to all foreign expert workers, whether academics, doctors, people involved in sports, hi-tech, industry, the arts, or other areas.

The expert worker must be outside of the country in order to obtain the visa (at an Israeli consulate abroad).  Thus, prior to applying for an expert worker, this individual cannot be in Israel.

Israel does not issue foreign expert worker visas to anyone above the age of 60, unless special permission is granted.

Finally, another condition is that foreign expert workers may not have first-degree relatives in Israel.  Even if these family members reside in Israel legally, the individual is not eligible for a foreign expert visa.

Exemptions for Foreign Companies

Foreign companies bringing an expert worker to Israel are eligible to request an exemption from the B1 visa fee.  The visa fees to bring a foreign expert worker are very high, 1,200 NIS for the application and about 10,000 NIS for the B1 visa itself. The exemption is for the B1 visa fee, not the application fee.   

It is challenging to obtain this exemption, but foreign companies are permitted to ask for exemptions for two foreign experts within their organization.  This specifically applies to representatives of the company, thus a maximum of two senior executives brought to Israel as expert workers within an organization may obtain these exemptions.  

Other Articles

We address numerous issues of interest in other articles on our website.  This includes information about partners and dependents of foreign expert workers, especially partners by common law marriage, tips to get the visa approved the first time, how to expedite the process, and more.  We also have general articles about the process (and paperwork needed) as well as specific articles about bringing athletes or coaches; lecturers, researchers, or professors; medical interns or doctors; artists, or a foreign manager or CEO.  

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If you seek guidance on the topic of local and/or foreign companies and expert workers in Israel, feel free to contact us.

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