Human rights organizations appealed to Minister of the Interior Aryeh Deri and Interior Committee Chairman MK Amsalem to warn of the expected repercussions if the deposit fund is approved in the proposed format for the working population of refugees and asylum seekers.
“The purpose of the reform is to worsen the employment situation of asylum seekers, to greatly reduce their meager income (by depositing 20% of the workers’ salaries), and greatly increase the cost of their employment (by imposing an obligation to deposit an additional 16% of the salaries of the workers at the employer’s expense). This is an extraordinary provision arrangement: 36% of the salary will be transferred to the deposit fund every month.
It was further determined that the money is deducted at a considerable rate, insofar as the “infiltrator” does not leave Israel at an unknown date to be determined in the future. […] In the arrangement, an unprecedented deduction from wages will leave asylum seekers with wages that are significantly lower than the minimum wage and will dramatically reduce their ability to exist with dignity and for a period that is likely to be very long (which is currently not expected to end).”
To read the Ha’aretz report on the referral: Asylum seekers will be required to deposit a fifth of their wages as an incentive to leave Israel
*** Update 4.1.2017 ***
To read the Haaretz report on the approval of the law: The Knesset approved: Asylum seekers will be required to set aside 20% of their salary for the deposit as an incentive to leave Israel
