Sri Lankans seeking jobs in Israel will be recruited only through government-to-government agreements from 1 January 2027, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said.
The Bureau said the Sri Lankan Embassy in Israel had informed it of a new policy decision by the Israeli government. The existing programme, under which licensed foreign employment agencies recruit workers for Israel, will end on 31 December 2026.
The new rule applies to all employment sectors, including construction, industry, commerce and services, where private recruitment agencies were previously allowed to recruit Sri Lankan workers.
The SLBFE said official details of the new recruitment mechanism for 2027, including quotas and selection procedures, have not yet been announced.
It urged job seekers to be cautious about promises from private agencies or individuals offering jobs in Israel. The Bureau advised people not to pay any individual or licensed agency claiming to offer such employment, and not to attend skills tests, interviews or other recruitment steps run by private agencies until official instructions are issued.
The public should rely only on announcements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism and the SLBFE, the Bureau said.
Background
The SLBFE is the state body that regulates the recruitment of Sri Lankans for work abroad. Private agencies need a licence from the Bureau to send workers overseas, and job seekers are advised to check that an agency is licensed before paying any fees.
Under a government-to-government arrangement, the two governments agree the terms of recruitment, so selection is handled through official channels instead of private agents. Such arrangements are used by Sri Lanka for some other destination countries.
What it means
People who have already made lawful payments for Israel jobs have been told not to be unnecessarily concerned. The SLBFE said it has asked licensed agencies for information on those who have paid and will decide on next steps once it has the details.
Affected people do not need to submit their details separately for now, as further instructions will be issued officially. Those who wish to report suspected fraud or other specific problems can still use the Bureau’s existing complaints mechanism.
The SLBFE said it is working with the Sri Lankan Embassy in Israel and the relevant Israeli authorities to protect the interests and welfare of Sri Lankan job seekers. Until the 2027 mechanism is announced, there is no confirmed way to apply for work in Israel after the current programme closes.
