Foreign Caregiver Rights in Israel
Most Israeli content about employing a foreign caregiver is written from the employer's side. The same facts read from the caregiver's side matter just as much — to the caregiver, who needs to know what is owed and what is a warning sign, and to the family that wants to get it right the first time.
This guide covers the rights themselves, what a bureau may never charge a worker, how changing employer works, and who to contact when something is wrong.
This is general information, not a substitute for legal advice.
The rights themselves
- Wage — at least the statutory minimum wage, before the deductions the law permits, which are capped.
- Weekly pocket money — for a caregiver living in the employer's home, in addition to the wage.
- Medical insurance — the employer's duty, under a policy designed for foreign workers.
- Weekly rest — a right, not a voluntary arrangement.
- Proper living conditions — part of the employer's duties, not a favour.
- Severance and pension — deposited monthly into a state-held deposit account. The money belongs to the caregiver.
- An employment contract — in a language the caregiver understands.
What a bureau may never charge a worker
Under Israel's Foreign Workers Law, 5751-1991, a licensed private bureau may not collect any fee from a caregiver — not for registration, not for placement, not for anything. Charging a worker is a criminal offence.
Any request for money from a caregiver is a warning sign, however it is phrased: to “keep a file open”, to be prioritised, to be introduced to a family, or to have a visa arranged.
Orshina charges caregivers nothing at any stage. Its fees are paid by the employing family and are capped by Population and Immigration Authority procedure.
Registration, changing employer, and the visa's limits
- Registration with a licensed bureau is mandatory, not advisory. A caregiver not registered with one cannot be lawfully placed with a family.
- Caregiving is a closed sector — the B/1 caregiving visa is valid for nursing and elderly home care only, not for construction, agriculture, restaurants or cleaning.
- Changing employer goes through the Authority and a licensed bureau — never a private arrangement.
- Work regions — Israel is divided into three caregiving work regions, and a caregiver registered to a peripheral region does not automatically move to the centre.
The Authority publishes the list of licensed bureaus: licensed manpower companies for foreign workers. Any caregiver can — and should — check a company against it before handing over personal details.
Frequently asked questions
Can a bureau charge me a fee as a caregiver?
No. Under Israel's Foreign Workers Law, 5751-1991, a licensed private bureau may not collect any payment from a caregiver — for registration, placement or anything else. Doing so is a criminal offence, and any such request is a warning sign.
What is the deposit and whose money is it?
Severance and pension contributions for the caregiver are deposited monthly into a dedicated account held by the state. The money is for the caregiver, and is not held by the employer or the bureau.
Can I work in another sector on a caregiving visa?
No. The sector is closed: the B/1 caregiving visa is valid for nursing and elderly home care only. Construction, agriculture, restaurants and cleaning are not permitted under it.
How do I change employer?
Through the Population and Immigration Authority and a licensed private bureau, never by a private arrangement between families. The move is also subject to the visa's terms, the work region and Authority procedure.
Last reviewed: September 26, 2026 · Orshina team · General information, not legal advice · Rights and amounts are set in law and published by the Population and Immigration Authority, the Ministry of Labour and the National Insurance Institute
Reviewed and approved by Gali Barda, Owner and CEO, Orshina
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