Apartment blocks and office buildings under construction amid the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, in Tel Aviv, on Aug. 27.Florion Goga/Reuters
For decades, India’s migrant workers have pursued opportunities in Gulf countries such as the United Arab Emirates, or in the West, whether the United States, Britain or Canada. Now, an unexpected new destination has become aspirational: Israel.
Under a bilateral agreement last November for temporary employment with India, Israel has ramped up efforts to recruit 15,000 Indian workers aged 25 to 45 to address its labour shortages in the infrastructure and health care sectors.
As part of Israel’s second major recruitment drive being held across the Indian states of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh last month, registration forms online invited job seekers to “turn your dream into reality” and apply in four specific trades: carpentry, iron bending, ceramic tiling and plastering.
These opportunities opened up once Israel barred Palestinian workers after the outbreak of the war in Gaza. As news of the drive spread through social-media networks, thousands of migrant workers from across the country crowded recruitment centres in mid-September.
Manish Chauhan, a tile mason from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, camped for weeks along with many others from his town for the training and interview process in the city of Pune, more than 1,600 kilometres from his home. He said he was tempted by the high wages and job security on offer, which contrasts with India’s employment conditions for informal workers, reflecting lower pay and more precarity.
“I have done construction jobs in Delhi, Mumbai, Dubai, but now I am eager to work in Israel, like thousands of others. Going there during the war is risky, but what we can earn in a month, we won’t be able to save in India working for the whole year,” said Mr. Chauhan, who is documenting the recruitment drive on his YouTube channel to help other aspirants.
“There is no job security here – we don’t get a monthly salary as daily wagers, and sometimes the contractors we work for disappear without paying us. So I am hoping I get selected.”
Like Mr. Chauhan, candidates are undergoing screening and training through India’s National Skill Development Corporation, state labour departments and training institutes, with final selection made by an Israeli delegation.
Those selected are mandated to undergo orientation to understand Israeli culture and way of life “to get accustomed to their new home. This international mobility aligns with the government’s vision to make India the Skill Capital of the world,” NSDC said in a statement issued to media.
Local media has reported that 4,800 Indian workers have already been deployed to Israel this year through the first round of recruitment that started in January, and are earning approximately 192,000 rupees ($3,100) a month.
The rush for jobs in Israel, despite its intensifying state of war, has drawn attention to India’s unemployment crisis and working conditions. According to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey, India’s unemployment rate has remained stagnant at 3.2 per cent since the year before, while the youth unemployment rate stands at 10.2 per cent.
“Indian workers being lured to Israel is worrisome. The government line is that it is creating work opportunities, but it is being done to appease diplomatic relations with Israel. There are jobs in India – but they are precarious, low-paid, with unsafe working conditions, no social security or health insurance,” said Chandan Kumar, a labour-rights activist.
“But many of the workers going to Israel, who are putting their lives in danger, are not equipped with the necessary skills for the jobs they are being recruited for. If something happens to them, who will be responsible?”
According to a local media report, more than 500 Indian workers who had migrated to Israel under the bilateral agreement returned home owing to gaps in the program, such as a mismatch in skills and promised work. In response, the Israeli embassy in India clarified on X that it was “satisfied by the construction workers.”
The Indian government has said workers will receive fair treatment and be provided with lodging, medical insurance, social security coverage, wages and benefits, as set out in Israeli labour laws.
Attracted by these benefits, Vikash Yadav, an informal worker from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh, took up a job in June as a tile mason in Lod, near Tel Aviv, to work for an infrastructure firm. He is now fielding a flood of calls from other Indian job seekers who want to follow him to Israel.
“I used to struggle to make 20,000 rupees [$321] a month in India, but coming here has opened up the possibility for many of us to be able to save enough to start our own businesses once we return to India,” said Mr. Yadav, who lives with seven others in a house provided by his company.
“Most workers are happy here. It is largely mechanized work with safety measures. The housing has all amenities. Workers usually pay lakhs of rupees to agents to come here. But we had to only spend a fraction of the amount to cover our travel expenses under the government scheme.”
For Rahul Kavi Gorakhpuri, an engineer who took up the job of a carpenter in Tel Aviv in April in return for “the chance to explore the world and make good money,” it is worth all the risks and adjustments. He said he sends about 150,000 rupees [$2,413] home every month.
While some from India have trouble adjusting to a foreign country, he said, most felt welcomed: “I like exploring the city on my days off. We’ve grown accustomed to the sirens and alerts from the safety app installed on our phones, which signal us to head to the bunker. My family remains concerned, so I don’t share too many details with them.”
Mr. Gorakhpuri reserves his experiences for his growing social-media following of more than 50,000, sharing glimpses of the city and tips for those inspired by his new lifestyle.
“I had one ambition: to make a mark in history,” he said. “And after coming here, helping others, I feel I have been able to achieve that.”