NEW DELHI: The second nationwide recruitment drive for Indian construction workers heading to Israel will begin in Pune on Sept 16, following Israel's request for 10,000 more skilled construction workers.
The recruitment is part of the deepening cooperation between India and Israel in mobilising skilled labour. Israel has also requested 5,000 caregivers from India who hold certificates from recognised institutes and have completed a caregiving course with at least 990 hours of on-the-job training.
A team from Israel's Population, Immigration, and Border Authority (PIBA), including assessors, will visit India next week to conduct skill tests and select suitable candidates.
The recruitment is being conducted under a govt-to-govt agreement signed between India and Israel in Nov 2023. The drive focuses on four specific job roles: framework, iron bending, plastering, and ceramic tiling.
Israel has been recruiting workers from India to fill a labour gap created after it suspended work permits for most Palestinian labourers. This decision followed the Oct 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants that resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis and the taking of hostages.