Population and Immigration Authority
Population and Immigration Authority · 48 stories
Construction Industry Leaders Urge Stable Foreign Workforce Amid Housing Needs
Israel's construction industry has significantly increased its reliance on foreign workers, now numbering around 75,000, to overcome labor shortages caused by the war. Industry le…
Israelis Flock to Jordan and Sinai Despite High Travel Warnings
More than 14,000 Israelis traveled to Jordan and Sinai for Rosh Hashanah, bypassing a Level 4 travel warning due to security risks. The majority, around 8,500, visited Sinai via t…
Immigration Authority Detains Undocumented Migrant Near Tel Aviv Aid Center, Sparking Outcry
Israel's immigration authority detained an undocumented migrant near a Tel Aviv aid center, sparking criticism from rights groups who fear it violates a policy protecting vulnerab…
Israel Recommends Banning Entry for US Activist Kshama Sawant
Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs has recommended barring U.S. activist Kshama Sawant from entering the country due to her stated intentions to visit the West Bank and promote…
Over 60 Deserters Arrested at Border Crossings En Route to Uman
Over 60 draft dodgers, primarily Haredi men heading to Uman for Rosh Hashanah, were arrested at Israeli border crossings, mainly Ben Gurion Airport. The IDF confirmed the arrests…
Israeli Contractors Slam Government Plan to Expand Foreign Construction Firms
Israeli renovation contractors and workers are protesting a government plan to expand foreign construction companies, arguing it will destroy local businesses. The government defe…
Israel's Baby Name Trends Reflect Military Operations and Shifting Demographics
Israel's latest baby name statistics show Mohammad and Avigail as the most popular names, with Ariel returning to the top for Jewish boys after a temporary dip. The country is als…
Most Public Bodies Fail to Report on Audit Findings, State Comptroller Finds
Israel's State Comptroller found that 26 out of 44 public bodies failed to report on their plans to fix audit findings, violating a legal requirement. This failure hinders the cor…
Israel May Discover More Ethiopian Jews Eligible for Aliyah
A recent delegation to Ethiopia found 21 individuals eligible for immigration under Israel's Law of Return, challenging a prior Israeli government declaration. The findings were r…
Young Woman with Rare Disease Arrives by Ambulance for Court Hearing on Caregiver's Status
A young woman with Rett syndrome arrived by ambulance to a Jerusalem court hearing to advocate for her long-term caregiver, whose visa renewal was denied due to a pending humanita…
Avigail and Mohammad Top Popular Baby Names in Israel
Avigail and Mohammad were the most popular baby names for girls and boys in Israel for the Hebrew year 5786, according to the Population and Immigration Authority. The report also…
Fictitious Sick Days Fueled 83% of 2025 Public Sector Lost Workdays
Israel's public sector saw a significant drop in lost workdays in 2025, but a single two-hour teachers' strike protesting wage cuts accounted for 83% of the total. The report also…
Unsolved Mystery: Romanian Caregiver's Head Still Missing 13 Years After Gruesome Murder
After 13 years, details have emerged about the murder of Ilona Denis, a Romanian caregiver whose dismembered body was found in Tel Aviv. Police identified and arrested suspect Ayd…
Israeli Man Charged with Polygamy and Fraud for Illegally Claiming Benefits
An Israeli Bedouin man has been indicted for allegedly defrauding the National Insurance Institute of hundreds of thousands of shekels by concealing two marriages and claiming ben…
Israel Detains 133 Foreign Nationals Attempting Illegal Entry This Year
Israel's Population and Immigration Authority has detained 133 foreign nationals attempting to enter the country illegally since the start of the year, primarily from Georgia. All…
Singer Vows Full Prosecution in SIMD Investigation
Spi Singer, Director General of the Ministry of Interior, pledged to prosecute those responsible in an ongoing investigation into the Population and Immigration Authority. The art…
Six Draft Dodgers Caught Trying to Flee Israel Ahead of High Holidays
Six ultra-Orthodox men facing military conscription were stopped at Ben Gurion Airport while trying to leave Israel. The arrests come ahead of Rosh Hashanah travel, with authoriti…
Israel Stops Haredi Draft Evaders at Airport and Border
Israeli authorities stopped six Haredi men at Ben Gurion Airport and dozens of Breslov Hasidim at the airport and the Taba border crossing who were attempting to leave the country…
Deported British Student Gives First Interview, Accuses Settlers of Violence
British activist Finn Joughin, deported from Israel, gave an interview accusing Israeli settlers of violence and authorities of complicity. Israeli police state he was detained on…
Siblings Who Fled Congo as Toddlers Face Deportation from Israel
Two adult siblings who immigrated to Israel from Congo as young children and have lived there for nearly two decades have been ordered to leave the country. Their asylum claims we…
Foreign Activist Facing Deportation After Alleged Child Harassment in Hebron Hills
A foreign activist arrested in the Hebron Hills for allegedly harassing a child and causing a disturbance will face a hearing regarding his potential deportation from Israel. The…
Muhammad Tops List of Most Common Names for First Graders in Israel
Israel's Population and Immigration Authority revealed that Muhammad is the most common name for boys entering first grade for the 2026-2027 school year, while Tamar is the most p…
Ben Gurion Airport Tightens Security to Prevent Draft Dodgers Traveling to Uman
Ben Gurion Airport is deploying military police and a special arrest vehicle to stop draft dodgers from leaving Israel for Uman, Ukraine, ahead of Rosh Hashanah. The measures aim…
180,000 Israeli Children Begin First Grade With Traditional Names Leading
On September 1, around 180,000 Israeli children will start first grade, with traditional biblical names leading among Jewish students and stable naming trends in the Arab sector…
Widow of Israeli Victim Killed in Hamas Attack Allowed to Enter Israel for Wedding
The widow of an Israeli man killed in the October 7 Hamas attack in Be'eri has been granted permission to enter Israel with her son to attend a wedding, after initially being deni…
IDF Absentees Exploit Ben Gurion Airport Gaps to Flee Israel Despite Exit Bans
Young ultra-Orthodox men avoiding IDF service have exploited security gaps at Ben Gurion Airport to leave Israel despite exit bans, using busy periods and foreign airlines not ful…
Israel Doubles Temporary Residency Permit Extension Period for Spouses Under New Interior Ministry Policy
Israel's Interior Ministry now allows two-year extensions for temporary residency permits (A/5 visas) for spouses of citizens and permanent residents, reducing annual renewals. Ap…
Israel Bars Entry to Two European MPs Planning Visit to Palestinian Authority
Israel has barred two Swedish left-wing European Parliament members from entering the country to visit the Palestinian Authority due to their past anti-Israel activities and calls…
Widow of Filipino Caregiver Killed in October 7 Massacre Denied Entry to Israel for Wedding
The widow and young son of Paul Kastallabi, a Filipino caregiver killed protecting an Israeli family during the October 7 massacre, have been denied entry to Israel by immigration…
Israeli Interior Ministry Sets September 3 Deadline to Update Voting Addresses for October Elections
The Israeli Interior Ministry has set September 3 as the final date for voters to update their addresses to vote near their residence in the October 27 Knesset elections. Multiple…
Jerusalem Court Temporarily Blocks Deportation of Telma Kasao to Keep Family Together
The Jerusalem Appeals Court issued a temporary order preventing Telma Kasao's deportation from Israel, allowing her to stay with her Israeli partner and daughter while her legal c…
Israeli Authorities Demand Deportation of Filipino Mother Despite Daughter's Citizenship
Israeli authorities have ordered the deportation of Telma Casao, a Filipino mother of an Israeli citizen daughter, due to missing divorce documentation. Despite living in Israel f…
MK Yair Lapid Accuses Population Authority of Discriminating Against LGBTQ Parents in Digital Services
MK Yair Lapid accused Israel's Population Authority of discriminating against LGBTQ parents by restricting online services to non-biological parents. He demanded equal treatment a…
Israeli Immigration Authority Employee Fired for Sexual Extortion of Ethiopian Women
Lior Tadla Solomon, a senior Israeli immigration official, was fired and banned from public service for sexually exploiting Ethiopian women seeking immigration help. Convicted of…
Widow of Israeli Kibbutz Massacre Victim Denied Return to Attend Family Wedding
Jubel Santiago Castalbi, widow of a caregiver killed in the October 7 Hamas attack in Kibbutz Be'eri, is barred by Israeli authorities from returning to Israel to attend a family…
Close Friend Calls Israeli Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg Leading Conservative Jurist
Tomer Moskowitz, a longtime friend of Israeli Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg, praises him as Israel's leading conservative judge who interprets law strictly and avoi…
Israel Halts Foreign Construction Worker Imports as Quota Runs Out Amid Labor Shortage
Israel has stopped importing foreign construction workers after reaching the 40,000-worker quota, causing industry disruption amid a labor shortage. The government’s freeze affect…
Tzomet Sfarim Requires Prior Approval for New Books Amid Rising Self-Published Titles
Tzomet Sfarim bookstore chain will require publishers to get prior approval before distributing new books, aiming to manage the rise in self-funded titles and shelf space constrai…
Israeli Police Deport 47 Foreign BDS and Anarchist Activists to Protect Settlements
Israeli police have deported 47 foreign BDS and anarchist activists and prevented over 130 from entering Israel in 2026 to protect settlements and security operations. A special p…
Netanya Surpasses Rishon Lezion to Become Fourth Largest Israeli City by Population
Netanya has surpassed Rishon Lezion to become Israel's fourth largest city by population, with 289,121 residents compared to Rishon Lezion's 289,116. The data, from the Population…
Israeli Supreme Court Suspends Law Blocking Citizenship for Terrorists' Relatives
The Israeli Supreme Court has temporarily halted a law preventing relatives of terrorists from gaining citizenship or residency, citing human rights concerns. The law, enacted in…
Israeli Man Indicted for Forced Labor and Abuse of Thai Workers on Farm
Shmuel Gross, 74, from Netanya, is charged with forced labor and sexual abuse of Thai workers on his farm between 2021 and 2023. The indictment details exploitation, wage withhold…
Israeli Authorities Demand Partner Leave Country Despite Decade-Long Relationship
After more than ten years together in Israel, Evelyn Kris and Andrei Kozlov face separation as Andrei is ordered to leave the country amid citizenship process disputes. The Popula…
Israeli Interior Ministry Details Voter Eligibility Rules Amid Residency Status Concerns
The Israeli Interior Ministry has issued voter eligibility rules for the October 2026 Knesset elections, focusing on residency status issues affecting Israelis abroad. Those not r…
Breslov Hasidim Protest New Exit Ban Enforcement at Ben Gurion Airport Terminal 3
Hundreds of Breslov Hasidim protested at Ben Gurion Airport against a new immigration rule blocking exit bans at check-in, disrupting traffic until police intervened. The change a…
Israel Sets September 3 Deadline for Voter Address Changes Ahead of 2026 Knesset Elections
Israel’s Ministry of Interior sets September 3, 2026, as the final date for voters to update their addresses for the October 27 Knesset elections, offering multiple services to ve…
Israel Approves Fast-Track Program to Bring 2,000 Foreign Workers for Renovation Sector
Israel has approved a fast-track procedure to bring 2,000 foreign workers into the renovation sector, bypassing slow bilateral agreements. This move aims to alleviate severe labor…
Israel Blocks Escape Route for Draft Dodgers at Ben-Gurion Airport
Israel has tightened airport exit controls to prevent draft-dodging ultra-Orthodox men from leaving via Ben-Gurion Airport, identifying those with exit bans during check-in to blo…
