September 27: The government has recommended the names of 1,600 people for foreign employment in Israel in accordance with the labour agreement inked between the Government of Nepal and the Government of Israel on September 30, 2020.    
The Department of Foreign Employment selected the aspiring workers on the basis of written examination and interview.    
The Embassy of Israel in Nepal had urged the government in July to recommend 1,600 candidates including 70 percent females for the caregiver jobs in Israel. The department informed that Israel has placed the demand for 700 female workers and 300 male workers as care givers in the first lot. 

The department had shortlisted 1803 persons for interview from among 6,317 aspirants who appeared for the written examination. The applicants whose educational qualification and training certificate could not be verified were barred from sitting for the written examination. 

Any Nepali citizen completing 25 years and not exceeding 45 years of age with at least 1.5 metres height, weighing 45 kilograms and having an ANM or CMA (medical) certificate after completing at least ten class or a plus two degree with at least three months' training on care giving from the government-certified training institute were eligible to apply for the job.    

Anyone already having worked in Israel and whose parents, spouses or daughters are residing in Israel or currently working there were suggested no to try for the job.

The Government of Israel has said that the monthly salary of the selected workers will be 5,300 New Israeli Sheqel (NIS) which is equivalent to Rs 193,000. The payment will be made on a weekly basis.  The contract period of the selected workers will be of one year and it could be extended up to five years. The workers have to manage food on their own while the accommodation will be managed by their employer.      
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed that Israel had shown interest in opening its job market to Nepalis on G2G basis after the signing of a MoU between the two countries almost a year ago.

Until now, Nepal's private manpower companies had been supplying Nepali workers to Israel for employment under a 2015 agreement. However, now according to the new agreement, the government itself will be sending workers to Israel for work on G2G basis while the manpower companies will have no role in it.

As per the new protocol, Nepali workers will have to bear the travel cost themselves. Nepali workers willing to go to Israel for work will also have to pay the visa fee, medical test fee as well as orientation charge and a certain amount to the welfare fund themselves, which is against the free-visa policy of the government.

But the laws of Israel is considered labour-friendly and Nepali workers are expected to have comparatively less problems while working there.