Finance Ministry allocates NIS 80m. for immigrants due to coronavirus
The request for the funding came amid reports of 28% unemployment among new immigrants, compared to close to 20% among the general population.
By GIL HOFFMANA family of olim who came to Israel during the coronavirus crisis on June 9(photo credit: YONIT SCHILLER)
Aliyah and Integration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata and Finance Minister Israel Katz agreed on an allocation of NIS 80 million on Wednesday to help immigrants who have been harmed by the coronavirus.The funding will be used to extend the absorption benefits that immigrants normally receive for six months because immigrants were not able to take intensive Hebrew-language courses and get jobs, due to the virus. The allocation will also cover new programs giving job training to new immigrants and encouraging employing them and helping 550 businesses started by the immigrants.The request for the funding came amid reports of 28% unemployment among new immigrants, compared to close to 20% among the general population.“The finance minister and I saw eye to eye about the need to help new immigrants and give them the tools to enter the workforce, especially at this time when the coronavirus is hurting everyone,” Tamano-Shata told the Knesset’s Immigrant Absorption and Diaspora Affairs Committee. “New immigrants do not receive unemployment benefits in their first year, which further harms their economic situation.”The allocation will help some 72,000 immigrants who made aliyah over the past two-and-a-half years, two-thirds of whom are at working ages. The chairman of the committee, Likud MK David Bitan, praised the allocation but said it is not enough.“Employment is the key to successful aliyah,” Bitan said. “Integration into society brings respect, and difficulties with unemployment leads to leaving the country and even suicide.”Yesh Atid MK Yoel Razbozov said he is glad his requests for additional help for immigrants due to the coronavirus bore fruit. He said that helping immigrants is an issue on which the coalition and opposition could unite.
