The permit to employ a foreign caregiver: documents, timing, fees

Who qualifies

The permit is issued by the Population and Immigration Authority. Eligibility covers recipients of the special services allowance, people aged 85 and over, disabled children on the full benefit, work-injury and terror victims, IDF disabled veterans, cancer patients, and anyone needing round-the-clock care. Above the age of 90, a minimum of four ADL points is required.

What to prepare

• The care recipient's identity document
• Medical documentation establishing the need for care
• A dependency assessment, if one already exists
• Income details, for the means test

Fees as of 2024: ₪370 to file or renew the permit, plus ₪340 for the dependency assessment where income exceeds the threshold.

The licensed agency is not optional

Once the permit is granted, the family must register with a licensed private agency. This is a legal requirement, not a recommendation, and it applies even when you found the worker entirely on your own.

The fees are capped by the regulator: up to ₪2,000 once, VAT included, and up to ₪70 a month. In return the agency must send a social worker at least twice a year, verify the worker's medical and criminal record, assist with visa renewals and handle complaints.

What not to do

Do not employ anyone without a valid work permit. The administrative fine is ₪10,000 per worker, and in most cases criminal proceedings follow.

One more: a worker may not be charged for placement or for entry to Israel. If a candidate mentions paying an agent several thousand dollars, that is a sign of an illegal arrangement.