Chandan Kumar Mandal

In September last year, Nepal and Israel signed a labour agreement paving the way for Nepali workers to live and work in the country. As per the understanding between the two governments, Nepali workers will be employed in Israel’s caregiving sector, mainly in hospitals, nursing homes, and daycare centres.

After the signing of the framework agreement by Israeli foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi and Nepali envoy Anjan Shakya in Tel Aviv on September 20, an “Implementation Protocol” was to be signed later to sort out the details of the deal.

On Thursday, the implementation protocol agreement was signed by Kumar Prasad Dahal, director-general of the Department of Foreign Employment and Hanan Goder, ambassador of Israel to Nepal. With this, the selection and recruitment process of Nepali nationals for jobs in Israel has formally begun.

Here’s everything you want to know about employment opportunities for Nepali migrant workers in Israel under the new deal:

How many Nepalis will get the opportunity to work in Israel as per the latest agreement?

Under the new agreement, 500 Nepali workers, both men, and women, will get to work in Israel’s nursing care sector. Thirty percent of the 500 jobs will be allocated for men, and 70 percent for women.

“Unlike in the past, when Nepali workers were hired as caregivers in private homes, these workers will work at facilities such as nursing homes and old-age homes,” said Tikamani Neupane, spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Employment.

Under which modality will the agreement be implemented?

Labour migration to Israel will take place under the government-to-government (G2G) modality. This means that private recruiting agencies won’t be involved in the process at all. Government agencies will oversee the entire system.

In Nepal, the Department of Foreign Employment will be responsible for hiring the caregivers and sending them to Israel. Likewise, the Population and Immigration Authority is the line agency in Israel.

“Both countries have adopted the G2G model for sending Nepali workers to Israel. No other agency in Nepal will be involved in selecting Nepali workers for Israel. Such a rule was required to eliminate potential malpractices in recruitment,” said Neupane.

“Lately, we have seen reports of some incidents of agents alluring candidates for jobs in Israel. They have demanded Rs300,000 to Rs1,200,000 for the jobs. But no individual or recruiting agency can send workers to Israel under this new deal.” 

Who is eligible for caregiver jobs in Israel under the new deal?

Nepali citizens between the 25-45 years of age, who meet other criteria set by Israel, can apply for the caregiver jobs. The candidate should be of minimum 45kg weight and 1.5 metres tall.

In terms of educational qualifications, candidates with ten years of schooling will require a 15-month course of pre-diploma course such as community medicine assistant (CMA) or auxiliary nurse-midwifery (ANM). Candidates who have passed plus two will need to have completed three months of caregiver training. Candidates should have completed their courses from an institution affiliated with the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) or undertaken caregiver training at an institute registered with the Department of Foreign Employment.

According to Neupane, there are 15 training institutes affiliated with the department that train aspiring caregivers. Besides, the candidate should have never lived or worked in Israel. “Also, the closest family members of the candidate should not be living and working in Israel,” said Neupane.

Is there any language requirement?

Candidates don’t need to know Hebrew, the official language of the Jewish state. But, they will need to understand English, according to Neupane.

“The person should be at least able to communicate in English while taking care of people in nursing homes,” said Neupane.

How much will a candidate need to spend to secure a caregiver jobs in Israel? Who will pay for it?

Unlike Nepal’s government’s recent labour deals with other countries, which prioritises zero cost recruitment, jobs in Israel will come with a price tag.

“Workers will be responsible for bearing all expenses. Israel will not pay anything to facilitate the recruitment,” said Neupane. “We have not fixed the amount yet, but have only given an estimate.”

The total cost for each worker, including air ticket, medical examination, insurance, and contribution to the government’s Foreign Employee Welfare Fund, is estimated at around Rs 90,000. According to Neupane, the air ticket will cost around Rs80,000, Similarly, health insurance will cost around Rs4,000, Rs1,500 will have to be deposited as contribution to the welfare fund, and around Rs5,000 for medical examination.

“Even if workers need to pay for caregiver jobs, it offers better job security, personal dignity, and facilities in comparison to jobs in other destination countries,” said Neupane. “When workers go to other countries even after paying hefty fees to recruiting agencies, they still do not get a guarantee that they will be paid the amount they were promised they will.”

What are the benefits and facilities for Nepali workers?

During the signing ceremony of implementation protocol, the Israeli envoy to Nepal said Nepali workers will not be discriminated against and will get all facilities and perks similar to that of Israeli citizens. Nepal government officials also say salaries and other perks for Nepali workers will be as per the host nation’s labour law. According to Neupane, a Nepali worker will earn around Rs150,000 per month, including a basic monthly salary and other allowances.

How can Nepali workers apply for Israeli caregiver jobs?

Application for jobs in Israeli will have to be submitted online. The Department of Foreign Employment is developing a separate online portal for accepting online applications. Once the online application is completed, candidates will be required to be present in person for a physical test and an interview. The department will start accepting applications within a month, according to Neupane, the spokesperson. “Even if the application process is to be completed online, candidates will be required to be present in person for measurement of their height, weight, and other criteria,” said Neupane. “We are considering whether the in-person test can be conducted both in Kathmandu and outside the Valley through a team of department officials.” The Department of Foreign Employment has roughly estimated that nearly 15,000- 20,000 candidates will apply for the available jobs. 

When will Nepali workers start going to Israel?

The Department of Foreign Employment says the labour migration process has formally begun. However, it needs to prepare working procedures that will guide the whole process. According to Neupane, the department is about to complete the working procedures for overseeing verification of the application process, selection of candidates, conducting examinations, locations of exams, among other issues. The Foreign Employment Department aims to select workers to send to Israel within the first quarter of 2021.

Published on: 24 January 2021 | The Kathmandu Post