In April-May 2024, amidst a tumultuous conflict in the region and a scarcity of laborers, approximately 6,000 workers from India will be dispatched to Israel to contribute to the construction industry. This initiative comes at a time when unemployment in India has reached its highest level in 40 years.
Israeli government officials, including the Prime Minister’s Office, the finance ministry, and the Construction and Housing Ministry, have jointly decided to bring in workers to Israel through an “air shuttle” by subsidizing charter flights. This decision was announced in a statement released by the Israeli government on Wednesday. The construction industry in Israel faces a shortage of local workers in certain specialized fields.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a meeting at the PMO in response to a severe labour shortage that has resulted in the delay of numerous projects. This shortage has raised concerns about the rising cost of living and has also caused tensions between different government entities and businesses. As a solution, workers from India are being brought to Israel through a government-to-government (G2G) agreement between the two countries.
Israel’s construction sector is heavily dependent on foreign labour to fill the gaps in the local workforce. In the past, the majority of these workers, around 80,000, came from the Palestinian Authority-controlled West Bank, while an additional 17,000 were from the Gaza Strip. Unfortunately, due to the conflict that started in October, the work permits for most of these workers were revoked.
The arrival of Indian laborers in Israel is regulated by an agreement between the two governments. Recently, a batch of 64 Indian construction workers arrived in Israel, and it is anticipated that a total of 850 will be present by mid-April. In the previous months, over 900 Indian construction workers have entered Israel through a B2B arrangement facilitated by recruitment agencies from both nations.
A group of skilled workers, including masons, painters, electricians, plumbers, and even a few farmers, expressed their desire to find employment opportunities in Israel. Despite the potential risks associated with entering a conflict zone, these individuals were willing to take the chance due to the significant financial gain they could achieve. They believed that by working in Israel, they could earn five times more money in a year than they would in their home countries. During recruitment camps held in Rohtak city earlier this year, some Indian men acknowledged the ongoing conflict but remained undeterred in their determination to travel and work in Israel, driven by the prospect of higher wages.
