Israel to Fly in 6,000 Indian Workers to Address Construction Labor Shortage

In order to assist the nation's construction industry in filling a labor shortfall resulting from the start of the Israel-Hamas war, about 6,000 Indian laborers are scheduled to come in Israel in April and May.

According to a statement released by the Israeli government late on Wednesday, they would be transported to Israel by "air shuttle" as a result of a joint agreement by the finance ministry, the building and housing ministry, and the Israeli Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to subsidize charter flights.

In some industries where there is a shortage of Israeli labor, the Israeli construction industry utilizes workers.

About 80,000 of the laborers were from the West Bank, which is governed by the Palestinian Authority, while another 17,000 were from the Gaza Strip. However, the vast majority of them had their work permits withdrawn after the October violence.

This is the "highest number of foreign workers arriving in Israel for the construction sector in a short time," according to the statement.

"Thanks to the joint financing of the PMO, the finance ministry and the construction and housing ministry, it was agreed approximately one week ago on the arrival of over 6,000 workers from India during April and May on a 'air shuttle' following the subsidising of charter flights," stated the statement.

The remark was made during a meeting called by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the PMO in the midst of a severe labor shortage that has caused many projects to stall, raising worries about the rising cost of living and escalating tensions between different government agencies and companies.

Under the terms of a government-to-government (G2G) agreement between the two nations, the Indian laborers are being transported to Israel.

Under the arrangement, 64 Indian construction workers came in Israel on Tuesday of last week. The next several weeks will see a number more arrivals; by mid-April, there will be 850 in all.

In the last several months, human resources departments in both India and the United States have worked together to facilitate the B2B movement of some 900 construction workers from India.

Speaking with PTI, industry insiders revealed that just around 1,000 workers had come in the three months that had passed since the Israeli Contractors Association (ICA) conducted screening exams and certified over 20,000 workers from India and Sri Lanka for employment.

The delay was attributed to "bureaucratic procedures," which included getting several permissions.

According to the reports, the majority of the chosen employees quit their employment while they awaited their visas to work in Israel.

The insider said, "The Israeli government has repeatedly reported its intention to speed up these procedures but has not done so," and noted that all parties engaged in Israel are rumored to have suggested many ideas in their conversations with the government to expedite the process.

"The task assigned to us by the government was carried out at a record pace," the ICA said to PTI last week. Weeks have passed since we finished the three rounds of worker selection, during which time professional permission was granted to hire over 20,000 people, half of whom were assigned to the government track and the other half to the business track." "We demand that the government move quickly to expedite the permission and departure processes for workers, as well as to bring here those who have already received approval. Everyone affected is harmed by the workers' arrival delays from Sri Lanka and India," the statement had said.

In December of last year, Netanyahu and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi spoke over the phone about expediting the entry of Indian laborers into Israel.

In addition to laborers from India and Sri Lanka, there are around 7,000 workers from China and 6,000 workers from Eastern Europe.

During his visit to India in April of last year, Israeli Minister of Economy Nir Barkat discussed employing Indians in a number of fields, including construction, with officials and his counterpart in Delhi. The idea of bringing in about 1,60,000 individuals has been discussed.

Approximately 18,000 Indians are employed in Israel, mostly in caregiving roles. Because "they felt quite secure" and "also because the salaries are quite attractive," the majority of them chose to remain in Israel throughout the conflict.

During the visit of then Foreign Minister Eli Cohen to Delhi in May of last year, Israel and India also signed an agreement that would permit 42,000 Indians to work in the Jewish state in the fields of nursing and construction. At the time, this move was seen as a way to help thousands of families who were waiting for nursing care and to combat the rising cost of living.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry then issued a statement stating that 34,000 personnel will be employed in the construction industry and another 8,000 would be needed for nursing requirements.

About 800 laborers from India have also entered Israel's agriculture industry in the last six months. According to the Government Press Office, "Pursuant to a directive from the prime minister, intensive staff work -- led by Prime Minister's Office Director General Yossi Shelly -- was carried out in order to facilitate a large increase in the quantity of foreign workers in Israel, lower the cost of living and significantly reduce the bureaucracy and friction between it and the business sector while improving supervision and oversight of the employment of foreign workers and safeguarding of their rights." After deliberations, Netanyahu directed that the government get a resolution on the matter the next week.

According to the statement, this decision will define the extent of foreign labor in Israel and provide a mechanism for adjustment in the event that there is significant economic downturn, which might impact Israeli employment.

The announcement came amid growing protests from different economic sectors about a labor shortage. "It was also determined that the government will authorise a committee of director generals, chaired by the PMO director general to allocate the quota between the various branches of the economy according to the need raised by government ministries from economic officials," the statement read.

The cabinet secretary, PMO representatives, and the ministers of finance, interior, welfare and social affairs, and construction and housing were present for the talks. Participants included representatives from the National Economic Council, the Agriculture and Population and Immigration Authority, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Economy, the Interior, the Justice Department, the Labor Department, and the Housing and Construction Ministry.