Israeli Contractors Demand Immediate Approval to Bring 50,000 Foreign Workers to Address Construction Labor Shortage

Roni Brick, president of the Builders Association of Israel, has urged the government to approve a direct mechanism for bringing in 50,000 foreign workers to the construction and infrastructure sectors. The call comes amid a severe labor shortage following the government's decision to halt the entry of Palestinian workers into Israel. According to the association, this shortage has significantly slowed construction progress, increased housing costs, and delayed rehabilitation projects.

Brick emphasized that the average construction time in Israel currently stands at 39 months, but with the addition of the needed workforce, it could be reduced to 25 months. This acceleration could save homebuyers approximately 70,000 shekels in rental expenses by shortening the waiting period by about 14 months. The association proposes recruiting foreign workers directly through employers without relying on foreign governments, while maintaining state oversight on security and regulation.

Brick highlighted that this model has been successfully implemented in the past and described the labor shortage as not only an industry issue but a critical national economic need. He added that speeding up worker recruitment would facilitate national infrastructure projects and increase state revenues.