Rules for entry and work in Israel depend on citizenship. Below is a summary of the CIS countries and neighbors: how to move in and is there a legal way to work.
| Citizenship | Entry | Legal work |
|---|---|---|
| Russia | no visa, need ETA-IL | work visa B/1 through employer |
| Ukraine | no visa, you need ETA-IL | there is an interstate agreement |
| Belarus | no visa, you need ETA-IL | work visa B/1 through employer |
| Moldova | no visa, you need ETA-IL | there is an interstate agreement (construction) |
| Georgia | no visa, you need ETA-IL | agreement + in the list of private recruitment for construction |
| Uzbekistan | visa required | agreement + in the list of private recruitment for construction |
| Azerbaijan | visa required | in the list of private recruitment for construction |
| Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Turkmenistan | visa required | work visa B/1 through employer |
List of countries for private recruitment to construction sites - upon notification of Rashut HaAvlus (Population and Immigration Directorate) dated October 5, 2026. It changes: from January 1, 2027 India and Sri Lanka are excluded from it. Before signing the contract, check the current list.
The main rule for everyone
Visa-free entry and tourist visa do not give the right to work. Work legally a foreigner can only have a work visa B/1, which is issued for a specific industry (construction, agriculture, care, hotels, industry) through an Israeli employer or a licensed corporation. Working as a “tourist” means the risk of deportation and entry ban for years to come, and the rights of such an employee are much more difficult to protect.
What is ETA-IL
This is an electronic entry permit for citizens of visa-free countries. State collection - 25 шекелей, valid for up to 2 years. How to arrange it yourself, we tell you in the article. ETA-IL: how to apply for 2026. ETA-IL gives the right fly in, but not work.
Two legal routes to a construction site
- Interstate agreement. Recruitment is carried out by government agencies of your country together with Israel, payment to intermediaries is not allowed. Follow recruitment announcements on the website state employment agency of your country.
- Private recruitment. An Israeli licensed corporation is looking for workers in countries from the approved list and issues a B/1 visa. The law limits the fees you can charge the employee, so large “visa fees” are a warning sign.
How to avoid getting caught by an intermediary
- When recruiting under an interstate agreement, intermediaries do not need to be paid: the selection takes place through government agencies of your country. If they ask for several thousand dollars for a visa, this is a reason to be wary.
- The Israeli company that hires you must have a license. You can check it by name in Hebrew or by number ח.פ. in Koah Adam registry.
- Read reviews of offices and agents and signs of an unscrupulous agency.
- Do not give the original passport to your employer for “safekeeping”: according to the law, he has no right to keep it.
More details by country: Uzbekistan, Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine.