Can a foreign caregiver in Israel change employers during their work permit period?

Yes — and the rules have been progressively liberalized. Under current Population and Immigration Authority (Rashut HaHagira) regulations, a foreign caregiver can change employers within the same sector (elder or disability care) by following a regulated transfer procedure: the caregiver notifies the current employer and the Authority, the receiving employer obtains a valid job approval, and both submit transfer paperwork to the Authority. After 3 years in Israel, caregivers may transfer more freely between household employers under an extended-stay protocol. A caregiver whose patient has died, moved to a care facility, or who is being abused may apply for an emergency transfer, processed within days.

The maximum cumulative stay for caregivers under the standard B-1 work permit scheme is 63 months (5 years 3 months). A caregiver who changes employer without completing the proper transfer process risks permit invalidation — all transitions must be documented and filed with the Population and Immigration Authority. Applications can be submitted online via the Authority's portal or through a licensed placement agency. For more detail, see Foreign Worker Rights in Israel: Labor Law Protections and Entitlements.