The war triggered by the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, marked a sharp shift in the Israeli government’s approach to labor migration. As a result, the agriculture, construction, and manufacturing sectors have seen the resurgence of phenomena not witnessed in years.
In an effort to address severe labor shortages, the government turned to a policy of large-scale recruitment of migrant workers. While the number of arrivals under this new approach is substantial, it still falls short of meeting the government’s targets and the actual needs of the market — all while compromising fundamental worker protections.
This policy has not resolved the challenges faced by employers. Instead, it has brought thousands of vulnerable individuals to Israel — many of whom paid exorbitant recruitment fees relative to their country of origin, and relocated their lives to a war-torn country based on promises of stable employment and fair wages.
This reality demands that the government take responsibility for protecting these workers — beginning with oversight and regulation of the recruitment process to prevent the commodification of human labor, and continuing with robust enforcement of labor rights during their stay in Israel.
