Short-term assignments, extensions, renewals and ongoing compliance

Permits and licences for foreign experts are time-limited and tied to specific conditions. Companies that send staff to Israel need a plan for the whole assignment, from arrival to departure. This guide covers the main points in general terms.

Short-term and longer assignments

The Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA) deals with short and long assignments under different procedures.

Short assignments of up to 90 days a year. An expedited procedure applies to experts who are citizens of countries exempt from a visitor visa to Israel and who come for a temporary task. The 90 days are counted per calendar year, whether the time in Israel is continuous or split into several visits. A permit under this procedure cannot be extended beyond 90 days. The expert also cannot switch to another employer, another sector or another status while in Israel.

Moving from a short assignment to a longer one. If the employer later needs the expert for more than 90 days, it may apply under the main expert procedure, but only after the expert has left Israel. A parallel application under both procedures is not allowed.

Longer assignments. Under the main expert procedure, a first permit is generally granted for up to two years for certain categories. These include managers and senior representatives of foreign or international companies, and experts paid an “expert salary” in professions that require higher academic education. For other categories, a first permit is generally limited to one year. In every case the period is set by PIBA according to the application and its discretion.

Overall limit. As a rule, the expert’s B/1 work licence will not be extended beyond a total of 63 months from the expert’s first entry to Israel on a B/1 licence. The law allows limited exceptions in special circumstances. A request for an exception must be filed at least six months before the licence expires.

Extending permits and licences

Extensions are not automatic. Under the main expert procedure:

The employer must apply to extend the employment permit no later than 60 days before it expires. The application includes the same supporting documents as the first application, except the CV and education certificates.
Where the expert is employed under the “expert salary” condition, the extension application generally includes a special accountant’s report. The report confirms that the required salary was paid during the previous permit year.
PIBA will not extend a permit for an employer that has not paid a final fine or financial sanction imposed for breaching labour laws relating to foreign workers.
After the permit is extended, the expert’s licence is extended online for the period of the extended permit. Accompanying family members extend their licences at a regional PIBA office.

Employer obligations during the assignment

The permit and licence carry ongoing conditions. In general terms, the employer should:

Employ the expert only within the permit. That means only the employer named in the permit, only in the approved type of work, and only for the approved period.
Pay the salary required by the permit. Where the “expert salary” condition applies, the expert’s ordinary salary must not fall below the required level, currently at least twice the national average wage.
Keep a genuine employer–employee relationship. The employer must comply with applicable Israeli labour laws, including issuing a lawful payslip every month.
Report changes. Any material change to the information given in an application for a permit, visa or licence must be reported to PIBA in writing within 7 days.
Health insurance. Under the Foreign Workers Law, employers are generally required to arrange medical insurance for foreign workers. Special exemptions apply to certain categories of foreign experts, provided the expert has comparable medical insurance coverage. The applicable requirements depend on the expert’s category and employment arrangement.
Plan the departure. The expert must leave Israel when the licence expires, or within 30 days after the employment ends.

Consequences of working without a valid permit

PIBA may revoke a permit or licence, after a hearing, if the employer does not comply with the procedures or the permit conditions, or if full and complete information was not provided. This is in addition to any other sanction under law. Employment without the required permit, or contrary to its conditions, may expose the employer to administrative or criminal sanctions under the Foreign Workers Law. Non-compliance may also affect the expert’s immigration status and the employer’s future applications. The consequences depend on the circumstances. Past compliance also matters later: when processing new applications, PIBA checks whether experts the employer brought in before left Israel on time.

Practical checklist for tracking expiry dates

Keep a register for each expert showing the permit number, the licence type, and the start and end dates of both the permit and the licence.
For short assignments, track the expert’s total days in Israel in each calendar year against the 90-day limit.
Set a reminder well before the 60-day deadline for filing a permit extension, so there is time to prepare documents.
Where an accountant’s salary report is needed, arrange it early, since it covers the previous 12 months.
Check passport validity against the requested licence period before every application.
Track the cumulative time since the expert’s first B/1 entry. If an exception beyond 63 months may be needed, prepare it more than six months before expiry.
Record any change in role, salary, work location or company details, and report material changes within 7 days.
When an assignment ends early, confirm the departure date and keep evidence of exit.
Review the conditions printed on each permit, which may add requirements specific to that case.

Official sources

This guide is general information and does not constitute legal advice. Requirements change; each case should be reviewed individually.