Introduction:
Foreign workers are entitled to the same work conditions that Israeli employees are legally entitled to
The salary of a foreign worker has to be at least minimum wage and he must be paid transportation costs and convalescence pay in addition
Foreign workers are entitled to the same work conditions that Israeli employees are legally entitled to.
- Among other things, the salary of a foreign worker has to be at least minimum wage he must receive overtime pay (for nursing care workers this means a global increase in salary of 30% above minimum wage), payment of transportation costs and severance pay.
Who is Eligible?
- Foreign workers employed in Israel.
- Asylum seekers employed in Israel.
Wage Components
- A foreign worker must be paid his salary for the previous month by the 9th of the month, including the following components:
- Minimum Wage - A foreign worker is entitled to a salary that is at least the amount of Minimum Wage.
- Transportation Costs- In addition to a salary, the worker should be paid transportation costs for every day that he needs to commute to work.
- If the employee was on vacation, took sick days, or missed work for a holiday, his salary is paid according to the following:
- Convalescence Pay- An employee that completes one year of work is entitled to a once a year convalescence pay (378 NIS per day) multiplied to the number of days according to the seniority accrued in his workplace:
- For the first year of work - 5 days
- For the second and third years of work - 6 days
- For the fourth-tenth years of work - 7 days
- Pocket money - It is common to pay foreign workers pocket money of 100 NIS every two weeks before the worker's vacation day (even if he is not taking a vacation day). This amount is included in the gross salary of the worker. This weekly payment is not required by law.
Work Contract
- The employer is required to have a written work contract with the foreign worker, in a language that the foreign worker understands.
- The employer is obligated to provide a copy of the contract to the foreign workers and there are certain sections that are required.
- For more information see Employment Contract for Foreign Workers.
How to Claim It?
- These rights should be given automatically by the employer.
- In event that the worker's rights are violated, he can:
- Contact the Ombudsman for Foreign Workers Rights]
- Submit a claim to the labor court (for an explanation on how to submit a claim, see the Justice Authority website).
Aid Organizations
- Worker's Hotline
- Hotline for Refugees and Migrants
- Mesila - Center for Information and Assistance for Migrant Workers and Asylum Seekers living in Tel Aviv
- Schar Mitzva - Voluntary Legal Aid for the Poor
- Physicians for Human Rights - Israel
- The Association for Civil Rights in Israel
Government Agencies
- The Population and Immigration Authority
- The Foreign Workers' Employment Rights Ombudsman
- The National Insurance Institute
- The Interior Ministry
Laws and Regulations
- The Foreign Workers Law
- Regulations of Employment Services (Payments from Work Applicants for Employment Brokerage) - 2006
- Foreign Workers Order (Prohibition of Illegal Employment and Insurance of Fair Conditions) (Basket of Health Services for Employees)
- Regulations of the Employment Service (Submission of Information to a Foreign Worker in connection with Employment Brokerage), 2006
- The Minimum Wage Law
Additional Publications
- The Rights of Foreign Workers on the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services website
- Foreign Workers - Information for Employers and Workers on the Population and Immigration Authority website
- Information Regarding the Employment of Foreign Workers and Illegal Infiltrators on the Population and Immigration Authority website
- Rights of Migrant Workers in the Agriculture Sector, 2019 The Worker's Hotline
- Rights of Migrant Workers in the Nursing Field, 2019 The Worker's Hotline
Credits
- English translation and maintenance by The Shira Pransky Project.
- Original information on this page was written by the Jerusalem Municipality Welfare Department as part of a project to make elderly rights more acceptable, sponsored by Mashov.
English translation and maintenance by The Shira Pransky Project.