A delegation of Israeli “selectors” recently visited India, with another senior delegation set to depart next week, to initiate the recruitment process for thousands of workers. The Israel Builders Association aims to address the acute shortage in the country’s construction industry by bringing in workers from India.
Deputy Director General and Spokesperson for the Israel Builders Association (IBA), Shay Pauzner, stated, “We will start the process in Delhi and Chennai next week on December 27. At the moment, we are looking to bring in 10,000 as per government approvals, and this will scale up to 30,000 in the near future depending on how it goes. It is an ongoing exercise and will take months.”
The selection process, set to begin next week, will span 10-15 days. A delegation led by Izchak Gurvitz from the IBA, which visited India last week, will join CEO Igal Slovik for the upcoming trip with other IBA team members. Director General of the Ministry of Construction and Housing, Yehuda Morgenstern, will also accompany the delegation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a recent conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, discussed the urgency of bringing foreign workers from India to Israel. The need for additional workers arises from ongoing construction projects, and the government is considering options to fill this gap.
Israel’s construction industry heavily relies on foreign workers, and the recent revocation of work permits for Palestinian workers following an attack by Hamas has exacerbated the shortage. The industry has appealed to the government to facilitate the entry of hundreds of thousands of workers from abroad.
Minister of Economy Nir Barkat had explored the possibility of hiring workers from India during his visit to the country in April. An agreement signed in May between Israel and India allows for the employment of 42,000 Indian workers in construction and nursing fields. The move is expected to address labor shortages and support families in need of nursing care.
Approximately 18,000 Indians are already working in Israel, primarily as caregivers. Discussions between the two countries involved plans to bring in around 160,000 people to work in various sectors, including construction. This collaborative effort aims to meet the labor demands of Israel’s infrastructure industry and foster economic cooperation between the two nations.
