Frequently Asked Questions Regarding B-1 Work Visa
1. What are the categories of temporary work visas available for foreign nationals in Israel?
Israeli law provides for one general type of work permit for foreign nationals: The B-1 visa.
2. Which government ministries are involved in the temporary work permit process?
The Ministry of Industry Trade and Labor (MOITAL) in the first instance; and the Ministry of Interior (MOI) in the second instance.
3. What basic procedure is used to obtain a temporary work visa?
B-1 procedure is comprised of the following procedural steps:
1. Submission of a temporary work visa petition to the local (municipal) office of the MOITAL. This office carries out initial processing, and thereafter sends the application directly to the national office in Jerusalem for further consideration. Following consideration of the application, the national office will either approve or deny the visa petition. "Approval" in this case takes the form of a written recommendation to the MOI to issue a work visa.
2. Submission of a subsequent visa application to the MOI (via its Office of the Population Registrar). In adjudicating visa applications, the Office of the Population Registrar acts in similar fashion to an American Consulate in the context of adjudicating a work visa application based on a Form I- 797 Approval Notice. Like the U.S. Consul, the Population Registrar has full discretion to refuse to issue a work visa application. The most common grounds for refusal include: (1) possession by the visa applicant of a criminal record in Israel and/or abroad; (2) previous illegal residence or unauthorized employment by the visa applicant in Israel; or (3) the making of a material misrepresentation by the visa applicant.
3. Transmission of visa issuing instructions by the Population Registrar to the Israeli consular post with jurisdiction over the applicant’s place of residence. The Israeli consul then issues a single-entry B-1 visa valid for up to 30 days.
4. Upon admission to Israel, the foreign worker should apply to the MOI for an extended validity, multiple-entry B-1 visa stamp.
4. What conditions or restrictions apply to workers on temporary work permits?
The foreign employee may work only for the sponsoring employer, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the approved petition. The terms and conditions of employment such as salary, accommodation and health insurance must comply with relevant labor laws and regulations.
5. What is the validity of a temporary work visa?
Work visas (B-1) are normally valid for up to one year. Extensions of up to one year each may be requested, but total stay in B-1 status ordinarily may not exceed five years and three months.
6. How long does it typically TPT for a temporary work visa to be issued?
Total processing times for B-1 work petitions typically range between 12-14 weeks.
7. What is the degree of difficulty for obtaining approval of a work visa application?
Current governmental policy limits the number of work permits to be issued for foreign employees. As a result, applications should be submitted professionally and promptly in accordance with current regulations and criteria as applicable in an effort to avoid delay and refusal.
8. Is special consideration for visas given to persons of certain nationalities?
Generally, no. That having been said, nationals of countries listed by the Israeli government as "Hostile States" are subject to special security clearance procedures which extend the length of the process.
9. What other potential problems should foreign temporary workers be especially aware of?
The employment of a foreign professional without a valid work visa can subject the employer to significant monetary sanctions. Additionally, the managers of repeat corporate offenders are subject to criminal liability. An individual found working without a valid work permit is subject to deportation.
10. May members of a temporary worker's household be authorized to work? (e.g., spouse, children, parents)
Dependents of a B-1 visa holder are not allowed to work in Israel, unless a separate B-1 process is utilized for that individual.
11. I am working for a US company and I am expected to be based In Israel soon. I am finance manger for the cap group which is a very large mutual fund based in the US. My expected work in Israel has not connection to the Israeli market. I am expected to sit in my office on a computer and buy and sell stock in the US. I am not expected to work with any Israelis and I am not expected to do anything with Israeli companies. Will I need a Work visa?
The mere fact that you are expected to work in Israel – will require you to obtain work visa prior to your entry to Israel. The facts that you will remain under US payroll as well as that your managerial structure will remain in the US, will not preclude you from the need to obtain work visa in Israel.
12. I am in the process of processing the visa at the consulate. My passport will expire in 1 year from Today. Do I need to extend my passport?
To allow a full year visa, your passport must be valid for at least 1 year and 9 months form the day of initiation of the process.Therefore, in case the passport is valid for less than 1 year and 9 months, it is required to extend or to issue a new passport. It is recommended to complete this process at your country of residence.
13. I've been issued with a B-1 work visa at the consulate. The visa is valid for 2 months, what does it mean?
This means that you can travel to Israel within 2 month period form the day the visa was issued at the Israeli consulate. Upon entry into Israel, you will obtain new visa. The new visa duration will be decided by the border control officer. During this period KS will submit a relevant application to the Ministry of Interior to extend the visa for the full duration of the work permit.
14. Our multinational company would like to relocate a foreign expat form Turkey to Israel. The employee current salary in the US is approximately 10,000 NIS per month. Can we continue pay the employee the same salary in Israel?
No, According to the Israeli law and regulations, there is a prevailing wage requirement of double of the Israeli average salary (approximately 14,000 NIS per month), in addition to other benefits the employee is entitled by law.
15: One of the expats (Robert) in our project in Israel should be replaced soon by another expat. Robert's B-1 visa will expire 6 month from today. What is the required process for providing the new expat with Robert's remaining 6 month B-1 visa?
Since the work permit and the working visa are issued for specific foreign employee, a new application will have to be submitted to the Ministry of Trade Industry and Labor, followed by a new consular processing.
16: Can a foreign company sponsor an application for work permit in Israel without an Israeli sponsor?
The Ministry of Trade Industry and Labor's regulations require that an Israeli based company will sponsor applications for work permit in Israel. However, in extraordinary cases (for example in multinational projects), where there is no Israeli company that is involved (and capable of sponsoring the application), an application for work permit may be submitted by a foreign company. Such applications are normally more complicated than normal, and requires extra burden of proof regarding the foreign company.
17: Our Company would like to employ a foreign national in Israel. The individual is a Jewish person that is interested in making "Aliyah". Can he start work in Israel immediately upon arrival to Israel?
If the candidate is Jewish or otherwise eligible under the law of return,he can apply to become an Israeli citizen as "Oleh Hadash"- new immigrant. Upon successful application, the candidate will be able to reside and work in Israel permanently. We recommended that the application will be submitted prior to entry to Israel, through the Jewish Agency - at the Israeli consulate. This will allow, if accepted, immediate work of the candidate upon entering into Israel. Otherwise the process can be delayed while in Israel, with the result of employment restriction until the New Immigrant status will be approved.
18: Our Company would like to employ a US national in Israel. The candidate is a Jewish person that is NOT interested in making "Aliyah". Can he start work in Israel immediately upon arrival to Israel?
The company can apply for the Jewish candidate to work in Israel as a foreign expat, for the maximum period of 5 years and 3 month. The process for obtaining an Israeli B-1 work visa takes ~3 months. Before the candidate has obtained a B-1 visa in his passport he cannot work in Israel. During the first stage of the process the candidate may remain in Israel as a tourist on his B-2 visa (no work allowed), however during the second stage of the process he will have to leave Israel and obtain the B-1 visa stamp at the Israeli consulate at his home country. Each stage takes up to 45 days.
19: My working visa has recently extended for additional year; however I've found out that I have "lost" 2 months, due to the fact that the extension begins 2 months prior the previous visa expiry date. Can this be fixed?
The process for extension takes normally up to 3 months.In some cases the MOITAL approves the application faster. Since the approval notice is issued for one year from date of the application approval,1-2 month may be "lost" as a result.Nevertheless we strongly recommend to initiate with the extension process at least 3 months in advance, and not to wait for the last minute. The risk of delay in the process beyond the original visa validity is severe, due to the fact that the expat and his dependents will have to depart from Israel until the receipt of the approval for extension, followed by consular processing out of Israel.
20. I have been working in Israel for several months and traveled back to Germany, my home country. My work visa in Israel will expire within 3 months, and extension will be required (as I am planning to return to work in Israel soon).Is there a requirement for me to be in Israel during the extension process? And if so, for how long?
The new visa will have to be stamped in the passport at the Ministry of Interior in Israel - prior to the expiry date of the current visa. Therefore, you must be in Israel at least 2 weeks prior to the expiry of the current visa, to allow us to process the visa in the passport. In case you will not come to Israel as mentioned above,the visa process will have to be done at the Israeli consulate abroad.
21. In which stage within the Work Permit process, a medical insurance must be obtained?
Following the approval of the application for WP, and whiles the application for B-1 working visa is submitted at the local Ministry of Interior, a signed medical obligation must be signed by the Israeli company. The obligation is to obtain a medical insurance for the expat.
According to the Israeli law,medical insurance for foreign employee must be valid from the day of entry to Israel of the foreign employee. The working visa is void unless such insurance has been obtained.
22. My multiple entry visa will be expired 1 month prior the working visa, what are the consequences?
Any departure form Israel after the expiration of your multiple entry visa will cancel your working visa.In case you will not depart from Israel within this period, you can continue to work in Israel until your working visa will be expired.
23. My visa will be expired in 1.5 months. I have just been informed that approval for extension of the WP have been received. How long in advance the visa process for extension can be completed?
The Ministry of Interior does not normally extend the visa 1.5 month prior to expiry of current visa. This is normally being done only within the last month. In case the foreign national is required to depart form Israel and expected to return only after the expiration date of the current visa,a formal letter from authorized manager within the company regarding the proposed travel abroad will be required to apply before the 1 month period mentioned above.
24. I've been obtained with a working visa at the Israeli consulate valid for 30 days. I'm expected to arrive to Israel only 1 day prior the visa will be expired. Is it sufficient for extension purposes?
Normally yes, following you arrival to Israel you will receive a visa valid for 1 month from arriving date. During this month our office will submit a relevant application for extension for a full year. We do however recommend to enter Israel few days prior to the expiry of the visa provided by the consulate.
25. A work permit application in Israel will be submitted for several employees of our company,are they allowed to stay in Israel during the process?
The applicants can travel to Israel for business trips (working is not allowed and illegal) form date of initiation of the WP process until starting the consular processing following the approval of the Ministry of Industry Trade and Labor (approximately 45 days).
Following the approval of the application, the applicants must depart from Israel for at least 7 days prior the submission of the application for working visa at the Ministry of Interior. The applicants will have to remain abroad until the working visa will be issued in their passport at the Israeli consulate abroad (Normally 14-21 days staying out of Israel).
It recommended minimizing the business trips whiles process is pending, to avoid suspicious of dual intention by the border control.
26. How long the Israel work permit and entry visa’s are good for once they are issued?
27. How long after the cable sent to the consulate by the Ministry of Interior, the employee can process his B-1 Work Visa?
Normally the visa will be valid for process at the consulate 1-3 month following receipt of the cable at the consulate, depending on the consulate decision. If the consulate refuses to provide the visa due to the long period took the employee to get to the consulate, there will be a need to re-process the visa at the Ministry of Interior in Israel. That normally takes 3-4 weeks.