6000 Indian Workers Rushed To Bolster Construction In Israel Amid Shortage

New Delhi: In view of the labor shortfall exacerbated by the recent Israel-Hamas conflict, Israel is set to bring over 6,000 Indian workers during the months of April and May, news agency PTI reported. This move is aimed at revitalizing the nation’s construction sector, which has faced a severe workforce deficit. The arrival of these workers is facilitated by an “air shuttle” service, a result of collaborative efforts between the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the finance ministry, and the construction and housing ministry. These bodies have jointly decided to subsidize charter flights, as revealed in a late Wednesday announcement by the Israeli government.

Israel’s construction industry heavily relies on foreign labor for roles that lack sufficient local workforce. Historically, the largest contingent of about 80,000 workers originated from the Palestinian Authority-controlled West Bank, with an additional 17,000 from the Gaza Strip. However, the onset of conflict in October led to the revocation of work permits for a vast majority of these workers.

The government’s statement highlighted this as the “largest number of foreign workers arriving in Israel for the construction sector in a short time.” The subsidization agreement, reached about a week ago, marks a significant step in addressing the acute labor shortage that has hindered several construction projects, contributing to rising living costs and tensions between government entities and the business sector.

The Indian workers’ entry into Israel is governed by a government-to-government (G2G) agreement between the two nations. As part of this initiative, a group of 64 Indian construction workers landed in Israel last Tuesday, with plans for a total of 850 to arrive by mid-April.

Over the past few months, more than 900 Indian construction workers have made their way to Israel through a business-to-business (B2B) route involving recruitment agencies from both countries.

Despite approval for over 20,000 workers from India and Sri Lanka after screening tests by the Israeli Contractors Association (ICA), only about 1,000 have arrived so far. Sources within the construction sector attribute this delay to “bureaucratic procedures,” including the acquisition of various permits.

Many of the selected workers have reportedly resigned from their previous employment, eagerly awaiting their visas to commence work in Israel. Despite the Israeli government’s repeated assurances to expedite these procedures, the process remains sluggish.

The ICA has urged the government to swiftly bring the approved workers to Israel and establish a fast-track process for their approval and travel. This call to action comes amidst concerns that the delay is detrimental to all parties involved.

In a conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last December, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the need to expedite the arrival of Indian workers.

In addition to the workforce from India and Sri Lanka, Israel has also welcomed approximately 7,000 workers from China and around 6,000 from Eastern Europe to support its construction industry during this challenging period.