Israel welcomes 6,000 Indian construction workers in April-May 2024

17 Apr 2024 CW Team

It was mentioned that the workers from India were being sent to Israel as part of a government-to-government (G2G) agreement established between the administrations of Benjamin Netanyahu and Narendra Modi. Under this agreement, a total of 42,000 Indian workers were set to be sent to Israel, primarily for roles in construction and nursing.

Reports from the news agency PTI indicated that Nir Barkat, the Israeli Minister of Economy, had discussed plans to bring in nearly 160,000 individuals from India during his visit to the country in April of the previous year. This initiative was further discussed with officials and counterparts in Delhi.

The shortage of labor in the Israeli construction sector was attributed to the fact that a significant portion of the workforce, approximately 80,000 workers from the West Bank and 17,000 from the Gaza Strip, had been affected. Israel had revoked the work permits of Palestinian workers, who constituted around 25% of the construction workforce in the country. Consequently, there was a noticeable slowdown in the industry, prompting Israel to seek workers from India, where unemployment levels were high, and the issue had become a focal point in the ongoing general elections.

Despite efforts to recruit workers from India and Sri Lanka, bureaucratic processes were reported to have caused delays. A source within the construction industry mentioned that although more than 20,000 workers had been approved for jobs following screening tests conducted by the Israeli Contractors Association (ICA) over a three-month period, only approximately 1,000 workers had actually arrived. Many of the selected workers had reportedly resigned from their previous positions and were awaiting visa approvals to commence work in Israel.

Amid a significant rise in unemployment in India, approximately 6,000 workers were slated to be dispatched to Israel during April and May 2024 to engage in the construction sector. This move came amidst heightened tensions in the region due to an ongoing conflict and a scarcity of labour. It was mentioned that the workers from India were being sent to Israel as part of a government-to-government (G2G) agreement established between the administrations of Benjamin Netanyahu and Narendra Modi. Under this agreement, a total of 42,000 Indian workers were set to be sent to Israel, primarily for roles in construction and nursing. Reports from the news agency PTI indicated that Nir Barkat, the Israeli Minister of Economy, had discussed plans to bring in nearly 160,000 individuals from India during his visit to the country in April of the previous year. This initiative was further discussed with officials and counterparts in Delhi. The shortage of labor in the Israeli construction sector was attributed to the fact that a significant portion of the workforce, approximately 80,000 workers from the West Bank and 17,000 from the Gaza Strip, had been affected. Israel had revoked the work permits of Palestinian workers, who constituted around 25% of the construction workforce in the country. Consequently, there was a noticeable slowdown in the industry, prompting Israel to seek workers from India, where unemployment levels were high, and the issue had become a focal point in the ongoing general elections. Despite efforts to recruit workers from India and Sri Lanka, bureaucratic processes were reported to have caused delays. A source within the construction industry mentioned that although more than 20,000 workers had been approved for jobs following screening tests conducted by the Israeli Contractors Association (ICA) over a three-month period, only approximately 1,000 workers had actually arrived. Many of the selected workers had reportedly resigned from their previous positions and were awaiting visa approvals to commence work in Israel.