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ISRAEL - 30-Day Work Program Reintroduced

What is the change? Israel has reintroduced its 30-day Short Employment Authorization (SEA) program after it was temporarily suspended in December.

 

What does the change mean? Qualifying foreign nationals can apply for a 30-day work-authorization, a process which is much faster than applying for Israel's 90-day Short Term Expedited Process (STEP) program.

  • Implementation timeframe: A trial period will run from now until June 30, 2015.
  • Visas/permits affected: SEA work permits.
  • Who is affected: Employers who need foreign nationals to work in Israel for 30 days or less.
  • Impact on processing times: The 30-day SEA work permits are processed significantly faster than the 90-day STEP work permits, which employers were forced to rely on while the SEA program was suspended. Officials expect SEA permits will take a few working days to process, while STEP permits take one to two months.
  • Business impact: SEA work permits provide a flexible option for short-term work assignments in Israel.
  • Next Steps: Foreign nationals can apply for SEA permits from now until June 30. Applicants do not need to visit an Israeli consulate before travel, but are required to apply for a B-1 work visa at the Ministry of Interior within two working days of arriving in Israel.

Background: Israel suspended the SEA program in December pending completion of formal regulations. The Ministry of Interior released regulations and announced that a new trial period would run from Jan. 26 until June 30.

 

The SEA program allows work activity in Israel for up to 30 days in a 12-month period. A separate application must be submitted before each entry. Applications must include personal documentation, travel information, a company affidavit, and power of attorney. In some cases, the company affidavit and power of attorney will need to be authenticated.

 

Nationals of countries that are not visa-waived, including China, India and Turkey, are not eligible for the SEA program and must obtain visitor visas at the Israeli consulate before traveling to Israel.

 

BAL Analysis: The reintroduction of the SEA program provides an option for employers who need to move foreign nationals into Israel for urgent or short-term assignments. The program allows for more flexibility in business planning.

 

Source: BAL Global Practice group