Dear Clients and Colleagues,

As the state of the Covid-19 pandemic continues to improve in Israel, the Israeli government has updated its policy regarding the entry into Israel, and introduced additional possibilities to enter the country, inter alia, for business visitors.

In this update we summarize the material issues, currently relevant for business visitors and foreign experts wishing to enter the country We further note additional categories of individuals, whose entry into Israel is now regulated within the new policy. These new categories include family members, foreign students, artists, cultural figures and athletes, welfare volunteers, agricultural volunteers, medical tourists, entry for weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, births, funerals, lone soldier visits, national-civil service volunteers, clergy, diplomats, foreign journalists and foreign caregivers.

A. Entry to Israel for a Business Visit

Foreign Nationals who are vaccinated or have recovered from Covid may now apply for a special entry approval. However, such application will only be approved if the visit is intended to benefit the Israeli economy in a manner which exceeds the benefit to the applicant and provided the visit is urgent on a State level.

The following steps should be taken in order to submit such application for a business visit:

​

The Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Health will review the applications. If the application is approved, then the business visitors will receive an approval to enter Israel and such entry will be based on the entry to Israel procedures, as applicable during the Covid pandemic.

Please note that we expect approvals under this procedure to be granted in a very restricted manner.

B. Entry and Departure of Foreign Experts

Work permits for foreign experts shall be approved subject to obtaining a recommendation from the relevant government ministry. Accordingly, upon submission of the work permit application, a parallel application should be submitted to the relevant government office, to obtain its recommendation.

45-day applications must include a copy of the individual’s medical insurance policy, which reflects that the policy covers Covid cases.

Permits for up to 45 days will be issued together with the entry to Israel approval. In relation to Permits for longer than 45 days, the approval to enter the country will be issued by the relevant branch office of the Population and Immigration Authority.

In general, foreign experts, with a permit rendered for a year, will receive an approval to their application to leave the country and return thereto, provided the application for re-entry approval is submitted before the foreign expert leaves Israel.

C. General Requirements upon Entering Israel

Prior to arriving in Israel, individuals must obtain a preliminary approval from the Population and Immigration Authority or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Such approval shall be valid for 14 days.

Individuals must present a negative PCR test result, taken no more than 72 hours prior leaving the country of origin. The foreign national’s passport number should be clearly displayed on the PCR test result. Additional PCR tests will be conducted at the airport, upon arrival.

The entry of foreigners into Israel is subject to presenting a health insurance policy or a letter from the insurance company, indicating that the insurance covers Covid cases.

Foreign nationals who leave Israel before the end of their mandated quarantine period will not be permitted to enter Israel in the future.

A foreign national entering Israel, who has recovered from Covid or has been vaccinated, is required to abide by the quarantine conditions and tests, as mandated by the Ministry of Health. Such tests include a serological test and a self-financed electronic bracelet. Note that in the event that the antibodies test is positive, the foreign nationals may approach the Ministry of health to end their quarantine period – otherwise they will be required to take an additional PCR test on day-9 of their quarantine period. If this day-9 test is negative, the foreign nationals can apply to the Ministry of health to end their quarantine period.

As always, we will continue to update you on any further developments and would be happy to assist in providing counsel on these or other matters.

The Labour and Employment Department
Herzog, Fox & Neeman