Specialists Work in Non-academic Fields
Specialists Work in Non-academic Fields Over Three Months
The Ministry of Interior issued in 2015 a procedure for foreign experts who are working in a field that on the one hand requires expertise, but on the other does not require an academic education & qualification (for example, a welder, mechanical installer, equipment installer, and any other job that does not require a certificate of education as a precondition for an academic institution of higher education).
The process of obtaining a work permit type B-1 includes four separate bureaucratic steps:
1. The submission of a detailed application for a Work Permit to the Ministry of Interior describing the project, the need for expertise, conditions of employment, and more. The application must comply with regulations and meet the strict requirement of the Ministry of Interior, and to include, inter alia, the approval by an Israeli lawyer confirming the compatibility of the labor contract to Israeli law.
2. Applying for a B-1 work visa at the local branch of the Ministry of Interior to be cabled for processing at the Israeli consulate in the Country of origin of the expert.
3. The issuance of a temporary B-1 Work visa by the Israeli consulate in the Country of origin of the expert, prior to entering Israel.
4. After the applicant’s entry into to Israel, the applicant will be issued a B-1 work visa for the entire period of the work permit. This step will take place at the time the expert goes through border control at Ben Gurion Airport, or after entry, at the relevant branch Ministry of Interior.
The minimum wage for an expert is double the average national wage. The Ministry of Interior may issue a conditional approval, by which the employer will have to oblige to open a local Israeli bank account for the employee for the transfer of his/her salaries and/or to deposit of large amount of money to guarantee the individual departure from Israel.
This type of work permit is valid for a period of up to one year from the date of approval of the application. The employer may submit an application to extend the permit for one additional year only, along with the required documents. Generally, the maximum stay of residence and work in Israel is up to five years and three months since the first day of employment in Israel.
A work permit of this kind is valid for a single entry only, and therefore the employer should see to the issuance of a work permit that is valid for multiple entries (i.e. “A Multiple Entry Visa”) that will allow the expert to leave and enter the country for any period of the temporary work visa, without having to repeat the procedure at the consulate.
Duration of process: 2-3 months.
Important: Working in Israel for any period of time without a permit and B-1 visa in the foreign expert’s passport, is a criminal offense. Whereby the employer and mangers will be expected to criminal penalties and fines, and the expert is expected to be deported, without being able to return for a period of 10 years.
