The Israeli government has sent the ranking list of 1,115 Nepali workers selected for caregiver jobs at long-term care facilities to Nepal’s Department of Foreign Employment.

The selected workers include 75 percent men and 25 percent women. Based on the list, the department will now begin the process of sending them to Israel.

Israel had opened applications for 2,300 caregiver positions, but fewer than half of the applicants made it through the selection process after many failed to pass the required English language test.

Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA) prepared the ranking list through a lottery system. The Department of Foreign Employment had forwarded the documents of 1,140 candidates to PIBA after reviewing the applications of 1,231 applicants who had passed the English test.

Of those candidates, 1,115 who met all eligibility criteria have now been included in the final list.

Preparations have also started for the selection of workers for the remaining 1,185 positions out of the total quota of 2,300 caregivers allocated to Nepal.

PIBA has additionally approved a quota of 800 workers from Nepal. Israel said a total of 1,985 candidates, including those for the additional quota and the remaining 1,185 positions from the previous quota, will now take part in the language examination process.

“The selection process for the quota allocated to Nepal will now begin,” said Shirley Raisin Sasson, director of the Bilateral Agreements Division at PIBA. “The recruitment will take place under the bilateral labour agreement.”

She said Israel was looking forward to bringing workers from Nepal.

Israeli Ambassador to Nepal Shmulik Arie Bass said Israel’s recruitment process was highly transparent.

“The labour agreement between Nepal and Israel is moving forward effectively. Authorities from both countries are working hard to implement it,” he said.

Bass added that Israel was also working on two separate protocols to recruit Nepali workers for the agricultural and residential sectors.

Dhananjaya Shah, an officer at the Israel section of the Department of Foreign Employment, said the process of sending workers would begin based on the list received from PIBA.

According to the department, selected caregivers will work at long-term care centres, providing support to people of all ages with severe physical and mental disabilities.

The employment contract for Nepali caregivers will be valid for up to five years.

Caregivers working in Israel will receive a monthly salary of 6,443 Israeli shekels, equivalent to around Rs347,000. However, workers will have to cover their own food and accommodation costs.

All expenses related to travelling to Israel will also be borne by the workers themselves.

Israel began recruiting Nepali caregivers for long-term care facilities in August 2022.