How do I Move to Israel (2024)

FAQs

Can I move to Israel as an American? ›

The application process will depend on the type of visa you require, and on your status and nationality. If you want to take up permanent residence in Israel, you must be Jewish, or must be an American investor intending to substantially support an Israeli business.

Immigration to Israel is possible for those who are Jewish, or have Jewish family members, including parents and grand-parents, through a process called Aliyah. Aliyah allows a person with Jewish roots who is eligible under The Law of Return to “return” to Israel.

But how hard is it to settle in Israel? For foreigners, actually, it can be extremely difficult unless you are Jewish and plan to immigrate permanently, or you are marrying an Israeli national. Otherwise, residency is not typically granted to foreigners unless you are coming for work.

Generally, as everywhere, it really depends a lot on your lifestyle and what your priorities are – and therefore what you can save. The most expensive living item in Israel is the rent, everything else is pretty reasonable. Spending around $2000/month is realistic as a fairly minimal budget.

You can become a resident of Israel by applying for a visa and working. You can visit Israel for up to 90 days without a visa, but in order to stay and work, you'll need to visit the local immigration office and apply. From there, you can apply for temporary residence—and eventually permanent residence, if you qualify.

In addition, there is nothing in Israeli law that requires giving up Israeli citizenship when obtaining another citizenship. Meaning, Israeli citizens are allowed to hold dual citizenship and even multiple citizenships. For example, an Israeli citizen can also hold a Polish passport as well as an American one.

And the question many are asking is can they even purchase property in Israel if they are a foreigner? In short, the answer is yes. Whether you are Israeli, American, British, Jewish, or Non-Jewish, anyone can purchase property in Israel. However, being an Israeli citizen puts you in a different tax bracket.

It's not just the vibe; on a cost-benefit analysis, it pays to live in Tel Aviv. Let me try to persuade you that Tel Aviv is actually a cheap city, perhaps even the cheapest in Israel; that in the critical test of cost versus benefit, what I give and what I receive in return, it pays to live in Tel Aviv.

How many Americans live in Israel? ›

Less than 200,000 US citizens are estimated to live in Israel, or roughly 2.2% of the total Israeli population.

General safety in Israel

Violent crime is low in Israel, and foreigners are treated well by locals. Expats should nevertheless keep an eye on their valuables when in public places, such as beaches or parks, as petty theft and opportunistic crimes have been known to occur.

Visa. American traveling to Israel does not need a visa if he intends to stay in Israel for 90 days. All that is required is a valid passport that would remain authentic for six months after his departure.

Travelers normally receive a free, three-month tourist visa upon arrival in Israel, which may be extended. Israel does not routinely stamp passports with an entry stamp, and instead provides all travelers with an entry card, although they reserve the right to also stamp the passport.

While you can enjoy living in the sunbaked Israeli cities, you can also work and earn a living. The Israeli B-1 visa is the general type of work permit for foreign nationals provided by the Israeli law. Everybody that has a concrete job offer in Israel can apply for it.

What is the minimum wage after the update? The minimum wage for a full-time job will be ILS 5,571.75 as of April 1, 2023, compared to ILS 5,300 prior to the update. The minimum wage for an hourly worker will be ILS 30.6 per hour of work, compared to ILS 29.12.

The average monthly salary of employees in Israel rose by 5.1% in April 2023 to NIS 12,669, compared with April 2022, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports. Almost the entire rise was eroded by inflation, which was 5% over the 12 month period.

If you're eligible for Social Security benefits in the U.S., you can typically continue to receive those while living in Israel. This can be a big help since retirees who move to Israel over the age of 60 are generally ineligible for an Israeli government pension.

Working in Israel as a foreigner requires you to be in possession of a valid work visa. You can only get this once you have an offer from a company in Israel. You will most likely be issued the country's B/1 visa. Be advised that engaging in work in Israel without a B/1 visa is a criminal offense.

The minimum wage for an hourly worker will be ILS 30.6 per hour of work, compared to ILS 29.12. When will the minimum wage update come into effect? The update is effective as of April 1, 2023.

What is Israel's biggest source of income? ›

All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars. The country's major economic sectors are high-technology and industrial manufacturing. The Israeli diamond industry is one of the world's centers for diamond cutting and polishing, amounting to 23.2% of all exports.

If you decide to stay mostly in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and travel only around the Mediterranean coast, you might not need to rent a car at all. Unlike some other countries in the world, Israel has a pretty good network of public transport.

Israel allows tourists from every single nation, even those that do not recognize Israel. Every nationality is allowed to enter Israel, but some need a visa approved in advance. Check out our article on visas to Israel to see which type of visa you'll need for your journey.

1. Citizenship through immigration. The main way for people to gain Israeli citizenship is through immigration. Israel's citizenship rules revolve around the 1950 Law of Return, which allows Jews and children and grandchildren of Jews to obtain citizenship relatively quickly.

Under Israeli law, the ILA cannot lease land to foreign nationals, which includes Palestinian residents of Jerusalem who have identity cards but are not citizens of Israel. In practice, foreigners may be allowed to lease if they show that they would qualify as Jewish under the Law of Return.

Hebrew is the country's official language, and almost the entire population speaks it either as native speakers or proficiently as a second language.

In the first quarter of 2023, the average cost of dwellings in Tel Aviv amounted to over 4.2 million Israeli shekels (roughly 1.13 million U.S. dollars).

Indeed you can! If you are Jewish or eligible for the Law of Return, the land is open before you, and you can settle wherever suits you. For those who are not, the general answer is still yes! However, in most cases, you can purchase only properties built on private land, which is about 7% of the total land of Israel.

The average price for a four-room apartment reached NIS 1.93 million ($555,000), which is similar to the general average for apartments purchased in Israel. The average price of a three-room apartment is 1.43 million shekels ($411,000). The increase in housing prices is limited, even in Tel Aviv.

Is it expensive to buy a house in Israel? ›

Israel is the second-most expensive country to buy property in the world, new research has revealed.

1. Rishon Lezion. With a population of approximately 255,000, Rishon Lezion is Israel's fifth-biggest city. It is considered the safest city in the country, with almost 90% of its residents stating they feel safe walking alone after dark.

The main tourist area in Israel is Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, The Negev, Dead Sea, and Galilee. These areas are indeed protected and secure and have no terrorist history in the near past years. These areas have always remained safe and sacred.

Jerusalem may be old, beautiful, and rich in its history, but most expats fall in love with Tel Aviv. It's a young, vibrant, cosmopolitan, and liberal city with a great party scene, excellent beaches, lots of cafes, and a great cultural life in general. The city truly never sleeps, and it's extremely safe.

About eight-in-ten (81%) Israeli adults are Jewish, while the remainder are mostly ethnically Arab and religiously Muslim (14%), Christian (2%) or Druze (2%). Overall, the Arab religious minorities in Israel are more religiously observant than Jews.

The tax-to-GDP ratio in Israel has decreased from 34.1% in 2000 to 32.2% in 2021. Over the same period, the OECD average in 2021 was above that in 2000 (34.1% compared with 32.9%). During that period, the highest tax-to-GDP ratio in Israel was 34.1% in 2000, with the lowest being 29.3% in 2009.

Does Israel Have Free Public Healthcare? Yes, and every resident in Israel must be a part of one of the country's four official health organizations: Clalit, Leumit, Maccabi, or Meuhedet. These are not-for-profit organizations. Legally they cannot deny any Israeli resident membership.

Personal safety in Israel is always incredibly high and crime very low, especially when compared to many Western countries and cities. In regards to crime, traveling in Israel is actually safer than staying at home in the UK, USA, or most other western countries.

Additionally, Israel is a safe and secure country with a strong military presence. On the other hand, the cons of living in Israel include the high cost of living, the ongoing conflict with neighboring countries, and the fact that it is a small country with limited resources.

Summary of cost of living in Israel: A family of four estimated monthly costs are 3,692.0$ (13,405.8₪) without rent. A single person estimated monthly costs are 1,048.4$ (3,806.7₪) without rent. Cost of living in Israel is, on average, 3.5% lower than in United States.

Can you live in Israel without speaking Hebrew? ›

Yes, living in Israel without speaking Hebrew is very possible.

As part of its annual budget process, the Knesset passed the Economic Arrangements Bill on November 4, 2021, which gradually increases the official retirement age for women from 62 to 65 (the Bill does not affect the official retirement age for men, which will remain at 67).

The application process will depend on the type of visa you require, and on your status and nationality. If you want to take up permanent residence in Israel, you must be Jewish, or must be an American investor intending to substantially support an Israeli business.

It is important that you have sufficient funds to support you for your duration of stay in Israel. You will need to provide proof of funds in the form of 4 months bank statement with a minimum balance of INR 1,00,000.

Israeli visa laws are strict towards those who overstay their visa, and illegal residence in Israel may end up in deportation from Israel and future refusal to permit entrance to Israel. A tourist visa to Israel is usually issued for three months. This B/2 tourist visa to Israel doesn't allow work in Israel.

For foreigners, actually, it can be extremely difficult unless you are Jewish and plan to immigrate permanently, or you are marrying an Israeli national. Otherwise, residency is not typically granted to foreigners unless you are coming for work.

In addition, there is nothing in Israeli law that requires giving up Israeli citizenship when obtaining another citizenship. Meaning, Israeli citizens are allowed to hold dual citizenship and even multiple citizenships. For example, an Israeli citizen can also hold a Polish passport as well as an American one.

Indeed you can! If you are Jewish or eligible for the Law of Return, the land is open before you, and you can settle wherever suits you. For those who are not, the general answer is still yes! However, in most cases, you can purchase only properties built on private land, which is about 7% of the total land of Israel.

Average Cost to Retire in Israel

A family of four will have estimated monthly costs of $5,560, while a single person will have estimated monthly costs of $3,150. The monthly cost of a 900-square-foot furnished apartment ranges from about $2,100 to $2,500.

Learn about dual citizenship

Owe allegiance to both the U.S. and a foreign country. Must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the U.S. Do not have to choose one nationality over the other. As a U.S. citizen, you may naturalize in another country without risking your U.S. citizenship.

How to apply for Israeli citizenship from USA? ›

How to apply. Download, print and complete the Notification of Interest in Receiving Citizenship pursuant to section 4A of The Law of Return form. Submit the application in person with the required documents at your local Population and Immigration Authority office.