The Ministry of Housing has begun a rapid plan to bring about 40,000 more foreign workers to Israel for jobs in the construction industry.
At an event to mark the arrival of Indian citizens to work in the construction industry, held at the National Labor Federation complex in Modi’in, officials stated that by the end of June, 10,000 foreign workers will arrive from India who will replace the foreign workers from China and Moldova, who left after the war.
The event was attended by Moshe Arbel, Minister of the Interior; Yitzhak Goldknopf, Minister of Housing; Yoav Ben Zur, Minister of Labor; MK Yaakov Asher, Chairman of the Interior Committee; Yoav Simchi, Chairman of the National Histadrut; Eldad Nitzan, Chairman of the Foreign Workers’ Manpower Corporations in the Construction Industry at the Chamber of Commerce; Yehuda Morgenstein, Director-General of the Ministry of Housing; and the CEOs of KA Foreign Corporations.
So far, about 1,200 workers from India have arrived in Israel. About another 1,200 more workers from India are now going through an absorption and training process. In total, by May, about 5,000 workers from India will arrive and another 5,000 workers will have gone through a screening and training process in preparation for their arrival in Israel.
Nitzan said: "By the end of June, more than 10,000 foreign workers from India will be employed in Israel, and at the same time, the process of absorbing about 10,000 foreign workers from other countries such as Georgia, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, and more will begin.
"The arrival of foreign workers will save the construction industry, which is currently in collapse, and most of the construction sites are closed."
The goal is to ultimately bring 65,000 foreign workers to Israel to replace Palestinian workers, who have not been allowed into Israel from the West Bank since war with Hamas broke out on October 7.
Nitzan thanked the authorities “who rallied to save the construction industry in Israel," adding, "I am sure that we will be up to the task."