Senior Officials Call for Immediate Expansion of Foreign Labor in Construction Industry

At a high-level corporate panel on foreign labor in the construction industry, held at the National Federation of Labor Unions, senior government and industry officials convened to address the ongoing labor crisis affecting Israel’s construction sector following the October 7, 2023, event.

The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Yariv Levin, Director General of the Ministry of the Interior Israel Ozan, Population Authority Director General Shahar Tal, Chairman of the National Federation of Labor Unions Yoav Simchi, and Moshe Nakash, Head of the Foreign Workers Department at the Population Authority, among others.

Minister Levin emphasized the critical need to accelerate the import of professional foreign labor to revive stalled construction projects:

“We must encourage the entry of skilled foreign workers to restore the construction sector’s momentum prior to 7.10.23. This is an urgent necessity to resolve the severe worker shortage halting projects across the country.”

Eldad Nitzan, Chairman of the Foreign Manpower Corporations in the Construction Industry, strongly criticized the current bilateral recruitment framework, calling it ineffective:

“Bilateral recruitment has resulted in the arrival of unqualified workers that employers cannot rely on. We should pivot to private recruitment, which allows us to select professional workers tailored to the industry’s needs.”

Nitzan further urged a comprehensive review of the bilateral system—both in terms of recruitment procedures and the quality of manpower it delivers—and even proposed considering an immediate cessation of the program.

He also expressed gratitude to key officials who supported foreign labor efforts during the ongoing conflict:

“Special thanks go to Housing Ministry Director Yehuda Morgenstern and Interior Ministry Director Israel Ozan, whose efforts during the war enabled the entry of much-needed foreign workers and helped cut through bureaucracy that could have paralyzed the industry.”

With approximately 70,000 foreign workers currently employed in Israel’s construction sector, manpower corporations are now working to recruit an additional 40,000 to meet national demand and avoid long-term stagnation.

The industry also welcomed the appointment of Boaz Yosef as the new Director of the Population Authority, expressing hope for strong cooperation moving forward.