Israeli Work Visa for a Foreign Expert

This article discusses how to obtain an Israeli work visa for a foreign expert.

Obtaining an Israeli Work Visa for a Foreign Expert

Israeli companies are permitted to employ foreign experts who have particular skills or knowledge that other Israelis do not have. In order to keep most Israeli jobs for Israeli workers, the Israeli Ministry of Interior limits the number of Israeli work visas issued to foreign experts. However, in the cases where an Israeli work visa is warranted for a foreign expert, the local company may apply for a B/1 Israeli work visa for the foreign expert. As someone who is already in the country is not eligible for an Israeli foreign expert visa, the foreign expert must be outside of the country and must obtain the visa from an Israeli consulate abroad. A few limitations on obtaining the Israeli foreign work visa apply to those who are over the age of 60 and those who have first-degree family members in Israel (i.e., parents, spouse, brothers or sisters).

The Application Procedure

The Israeli company that seeks a foreign expert must meet a number of particular conditions regarding the company’s operations and submit relevant paperwork to the Department for Expert Workers. Once the Israeli work visa permit is issued, the Israeli Ministry of Interior has the opportunity to approve or reject the permit. If the permit is approved, then a B/1 visa is issued, and the foreign expert worker can receive the visa at an Israeli consulate abroad. The B/1 work visa must be renewed every year for up to five years (and in some cases, it can be longer), so long as the foreign expert worker continues to meet the criteria necessary to be eligible for the visa.

Articles on Israeli Immigration Issues

Our law office has more than 30 years of experience addressing immigration. Work visas to Israel, including foreign expert work visas, are part of immigration issues. The Ministry of Interior stipulates regulations on immigration. For more information on immigration issues, see our law firm’s collection of articles on immigration to Israel.