Israeli Contractors Demand Immediate Approval to Bring 50,000 Foreign Workers to Construction Sector

Roni Brick, president of the Builders Association of Israel, has urged the government to approve a direct mechanism for bringing 50,000 foreign workers into the construction and infrastructure sectors. The call comes amid a severe labor shortage in the industry following the government's decision to halt the entry of workers from the Palestinian Authority. According to the association, this shortage is causing significant delays in construction timelines, increasing housing costs, and stalling rehabilitation projects.

Brick highlighted that the average construction period in Israel currently stands at 39 months, but with the addition of the needed workforce, it could be reduced to 25 months. This reduction of 14 months in project completion could save homebuyers approximately 70,000 shekels in rental expenses, based on an average monthly rent of 4,900 shekels. The association proposes recruiting foreign workers directly through employers without relying on foreign governments, while maintaining state oversight on security and regulation.

Brick emphasized that this approach has been successfully implemented in the past and stressed that addressing the labor shortage is not merely an industry issue but a national economic priority. Accelerating worker recruitment would facilitate the advancement of national infrastructure projects and increase state revenues.