ISRAEL – Delays in Processing Time for Work Permits
The Ministry of Interior of Israel has advised that work permit applications are currently subject to lengthy processing delays. This is due in part to a change in government following the recent elections, and in part to an extreme overload at the Work Permit Unit of the Israeli Ministry of Interior (also known as the "Semech Unit").
Revised Processing Time
Processing time for a B1 Foreign Expert work visa is generally around three months but due to the current delays, it is suggested to submit work permit applications at least four months in advance of assignment/employment start date or expiry of current work visa.
Action Items
- Note increased processing times for Israeli work permit applications and plan accordingly