Quick Answer: The B/1 Expert Work Visa (viza alef/bet for skilled foreign workers) allows a non-Israeli specialist to work legally in Israel for a specific employer. The employer, not the individual, must first obtain a permit from the Population and Immigration Authority's Permit Department. As of 2026, the minimum qualifying salary is NIS 23,460 per month gross, the permit fee is NIS 1,420 per year, and the visa itself costs NIS 10,680. Standard processing takes 3–4 months; the STEP fast track can cut this to 7–14 business days for qualifying roles.

Israel's economy runs on specialised knowledge. Multinational technology companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, industrial equipment firms, and financial institutions regularly need to bring a senior engineer, executive, or technical expert to Israel for months or years at a time. The B/1 Expert Work Visa is the legal pathway for that — and it works very differently from the tourist or business visitor entry that many people mistakenly assume is sufficient.

What follows covers every stage: who qualifies, what the employer must do first, the 2026 fees and salary thresholds, the STEP fast-track for technology roles, and what renewal looks like in practice. If you are preparing to relocate to Israel for work, or you are in HR or legal at an Israeli company about to sponsor a specialist, the process is more layered than most people expect.

1. What Is the B/1 Expert Work Visa?

Israeli immigration law divides entry categories into alef (citizens and permanent residents) and bet (temporary stay). Within the bet category, the B/1 classification covers people entering Israel to work — as opposed to tourism (B/2), study (A/2), or volunteering (B/4). The "Expert" subcategory of B/1 is reserved for foreign nationals whose professional expertise is either unavailable or in demonstrably short supply in the Israeli labour market.

The legal foundation for all visa categories is the Entry into Israel Law, 5712-1952 (Chok HaKnisa LeYisrael). Section 2 of that law makes it unlawful for any non-citizen to reside or work in Israel without the appropriate visa. Separately, the Foreign Workers Law, 5751-1991 (Chok HaOvdim HaZarim) imposes obligations on employers who hire non-Israeli workers, including mandatory health insurance, wage protections, and restrictions on housing deductions from pay.

In Practice — Legal authority: The B/1 Expert Visa is administered jointly by two bodies within the Ministry of Interior: (1) the Permit Department (Machlakat HaHitrashot), which issues employer permits before any visa application begins, and (2) the Population and Immigration Authority (PIA) (Rashut HaAvara VeHaHagirah), which issues the actual visa and enforces conditions. Both operate under the Entry into Israel Law, 5712-1952 and the Entry into Israel Regulations, 5734-1974.

The B/1 Expert Visa is employer-specific. It ties the worker to a named company and a named role. Switching employers requires a fresh permit application and a new visa, which many companies discover too late when planning internal restructurings or transfers between related entities.

2. Who qualifies as a foreign expert under Israeli law

There is no single statutory definition of "expert," but the Permit Department applies consistent criteria built up through administrative practice. The question is always the same: can this role be filled by an Israeli worker, and if not, why not?

Roles that typically qualify include:

  • Senior executives and managers transferred from a parent company abroad, particularly where the Israeli operation is a subsidiary or branch
  • Specialised engineers in fields where Israel has a skills gap: industrial machinery, civil infrastructure, certain chemical or mechanical disciplines
  • High-tech and cybersecurity professionals at the senior or principal level, where proprietary knowledge of the employer's own systems is required
  • Medical, scientific, and pharmaceutical specialists with qualifications not readily available locally
  • Artists, performers, and coaches engaged by Israeli entities for defined periods (a separate administrative track applies, but the B/1 classification is the same)

General software developers without seniority, sales staff, and administrative workers rarely qualify. If the role could be performed by an Israeli candidate, the permit will be refused. Employers should prepare a genuine market survey or evidence of failed local hiring before filing.

In Practice — Proving Labour Scarcity: The Permit Department does not have a formal checklist for proving local market scarcity, but in practice, a strong application will include: (a) evidence of at least one Israeli employment search (job posting or recruiter engagement), (b) a summary of why local candidates did not meet the specific technical requirements, and (c) a CV demonstrating unique qualifications that are specific to the expert, such as proprietary product experience or a rare certification. Applications missing this evidence account for a majority of first-round refusals.

3. The employer permit: the first step before anything else

This is where many employers and HR teams lose critical weeks: they start the visa process before the permit exists. The permit and the visa are two separate steps, administered by two separate bodies, and the visa cannot be applied for until the permit is in hand.

The employer — the Israeli entity that will be employing the specialist — submits a permit application to the Permit Department. Required documents at this stage typically include:

  • The employer's company registration documents from the Companies Registrar (Rasham HaChevrot)
  • A signed employment contract specifying the gross monthly salary, role, and duration
  • The foreign expert's CV, academic qualifications, and any relevant professional certifications
  • A declaration explaining why the role cannot be filled by an Israeli worker
  • A copy of the expert's valid passport (minimum 12 months remaining validity recommended)
  • Proof of the employer's compliance with Foreign Workers Law obligations for any existing foreign employees (if applicable)

All documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified Hebrew translation. The permit application fee of NIS 1,420 per year is paid at submission and is non-refundable under Regulation 22 of the Entry into Israel Regulations, 5734-1974 — even if the application is refused.

In Practice — Permit Processing Timeline: As of early 2026, the Permit Department's standard processing time runs 45–60 business days from the date a complete application is lodged. Incomplete applications are returned and effectively restart the clock. Once approved, the permit is valid for up to one year and authorises the employer to sponsor the visa. The permit alone does not authorise the foreign national to enter or work in Israel.

4. Salary requirements and full cost breakdown

The salary threshold catches more employers off guard than almost anything else in the B/1 process, and it moves each year. It is not a fixed statutory number; it is calculated from the average monthly wage published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) (Lishkat HaStatistika HaMerkazit). The Expert threshold sits at double the national average wage.

As of January 2026:

  • Average Israeli monthly wage (CBS): approximately NIS 11,730
  • Minimum B/1 Expert monthly salary: NIS 23,460 gross

This is a minimum floor, not a suggested salary. The employment contract submitted to the Permit Department must show a salary at or above this figure. Paying the expert less than this — even with their agreement — invalidates the permit and exposes the employer to administrative penalties under the Foreign Workers Law, 5751-1991, Section 2A.

In Practice — Full Cost of a B/1 Expert (Per Year):
  • Employer permit fee: NIS 1,420 (non-refundable, paid at application)
  • B/1 visa issuance fee: NIS 10,680 (paid at PIA approval stage)
  • Annual visa renewal fee: NIS 10,680 per year
  • Mandatory health insurance: minimum approximately NIS 300–600 per month depending on provider (employer obligation under Foreign Workers Law)
  • Bituach Leumi (National Insurance Institute) contributions: standard rates apply to B/1 holders; employer contributes approximately 7.5% of gross salary for occupational-accident and work-injury branches

Note: B/1 holders are typically exempt from full Bituach Leumi participation in pension-related branches but must be enrolled in a pension fund under the Pension Compulsory Insurance Regulations after 6 months of employment.

Beyond the official fees, employers should budget for legal fees (an experienced immigration attorney will charge NIS 5,000–15,000 for a full B/1 application depending on complexity), translation services, and potential delays in project planning if the permit is not approved on the first attempt.

5. From permit application to visa in hand

The standard B/1 Expert process runs in strict sequence:

  1. Confirm the role qualifies and that the proposed salary meets the NIS 23,460 threshold. Prepare the expert's CV and market scarcity evidence before filing anything.
  2. The employer submits the permit application to the Permit Department along with the NIS 1,420 fee. This starts the 45–60 business day clock.
  3. Once the Permit Department approves, it issues an employer permit valid for up to one year. This permit is registered in the PIA's system and unlocks the next stage.
  4. The employer (or its attorney) files the visa application through the PIA's online portal, attaching the permit and supporting documents. The expert should be outside Israel at this point. The PIA discourages status adjustments from a tourist stay to a work visa, so arriving on a B/2 and then applying is not a clean path.
  5. The PIA reviews the application. If additional documents are requested, they must arrive within 21 days or the application lapses. Processing typically takes 14–21 days from a complete submission.
  6. The PIA endorses the B/1 visa in the expert's passport. The specialist may then enter and begin working. On arrival, they should register with the Population Registry (Misrad HaPnim) and obtain a temporary resident card if staying beyond 90 days.
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In Practice — Common rejection reasons: The Permit Department most often refuses B/1 applications for five reasons: (a) salary below the NIS 23,460 threshold, (b) no evidence of genuine local market scarcity, (c) missing or non-apostilled foreign documents, (d) the expert's role duplicates an existing Israeli employee's position, or (e) the employer has an open compliance violation under the Foreign Workers Law. Addressing all five before submitting removes most first-round refusals.

6. The STEP fast-track for high-tech and industrial specialists

The Short Term Expedited Process (STEP) exists because the standard B/1 timeline does not match how technology and manufacturing projects actually run. A company sometimes needs a specialist for six weeks to fix a production line or complete a software handover. By the time a standard permit clears, that window has long passed.

STEP is administered by the Population and Immigration Authority in cooperation with the Israel Innovation Authority (Reshut HaHadasha), which validates qualifying technology companies. It works as follows:

  • Available to Israeli companies in high-tech, R&D, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and critical industrial maintenance — typically those registered with or recognised by the Innovation Authority, or established industrial companies with a prior PIA relationship
  • Covers stays of up to 90 days. Not renewable within a 12-month window without a fresh application, so it is not a substitute for a long-term secondment
  • Processing runs 7–14 business days from a complete submission, roughly five to eight times faster than the standard B/1 track
  • The NIS 23,460 salary minimum still applies — STEP does not relax the pay requirements
  • A STEP visa does not convert to a long-term B/1. If the engagement extends past 90 days, a full permit application is required, and given the 45–60 business day timeline for that, it needs to be filed on day one of the STEP period
In Practice — STEP Timing: If a foreign specialist arrives on STEP and the project extends, the employer needs to begin the standard B/1 permit application no later than day 1 of the STEP period to have any chance of a smooth hand-off. Given the 45–60 business day permit timeline, starting late virtually guarantees a period where the specialist is legally unable to work. Some companies keep STEP as a bridge while running a parallel standard B/1 application — that is the operationally sound approach.

7. Renewals, duration limits, and rights as a B/1 holder

The B/1 Expert Visa is issued for one year at a time and renewed annually. The renewal application must reach the PIA at least 60 days before the current visa expires. Filing late risks a gap of unlawful presence, which complicates any future Israeli visa application.

The maximum cumulative stay is five years. After that, the PIA has broad discretion to decline and rarely grants a sixth year without compelling, documented justification — an active critical infrastructure project with no local substitute being the typical exception. If you are structuring a long-term role, plan for the five-year ceiling from day one; do not leave it as a problem to solve in year four.

B/1 Expert holders have the following rights and obligations under Israeli law:

  • The employer cannot reduce pay below the salary stated in the permit without obtaining a new permit. Any reduction violates both the employment contract and the Foreign Workers Law.
  • The employer must provide health coverage through a recognised insurer from day one. This is not optional and cannot be deferred until after a probationary period.
  • After six months, the employer must enrol the specialist in a pension fund and make statutory contributions under the Pension Compulsory Insurance Regulations.
  • Working for any entity not named on the visa — a parent company, affiliate, or client — is illegal and can result in deportation and a re-entry ban, even if the arrangement is informal or temporary.
  • If a renewal is pending when the current visa expires, the specialist must leave Israel unless the PIA has granted a written bridge extension. Staying without authorisation while waiting for a decision does not protect against enforcement.
In Practice — What Happens After Five Years: Foreign specialists approaching the five-year ceiling have two practical paths. First, they can plan a genuine departure and re-establish ties abroad before applying again after a meaningful gap (the PIA has no fixed waiting period but expects a substantive absence, typically 12+ months). Second, if they have Jewish ancestry, they may qualify to make Aliyah under the Law of Return and convert their status to that of a new immigrant — which carries a distinct set of rights and is a completely separate legal pathway. Neither path is automatic; both require planning well before the visa expires.