Wage Components for Foreign Workers (Right)

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?

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.

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.

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).

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.