Bill to help olim get government jobs killed in committee

“Promoting employment for olim in the public sector would be a declaration by the government that it is encouraging aliya and is willing to set aside resources for them,” says Zionist Union MK.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Updated: NOVEMBER 30, 2015 03:17
Zeev Elkin welcomes olim on the 53rd Nefesh B'Nefesh flight as it lands in Israel (photo credit: STEVE LINDE)
Zeev Elkin welcomes olim on the 53rd Nefesh B'Nefesh flight as it lands in Israel
(photo credit: STEVE LINDE)
A bill requiring the civil service to hire new immigrants did not pass a Ministerial Committee for Legislation vote on Sunday.
The proposal by MK Hilik Bar (Zionist Union) would require “fair representation” of anyone born in Ethiopia or who immigrated to Israel in the five years before he or she began the government job.
Bar pointed out that many immigrants come to Israel with academic degrees and work experience, but have difficulty finding work.
“One of the main obstacles for Jews from Western countries who want to make aliya is employment,” he explained. “Promoting employment for olim in the public sector would be a declaration by the government that it is encouraging aliya and is willing to set aside resources for them.”
According to a report by the Knesset Research and Information Center that Bar ordered, in June 2014, 11,559 immigrants were employed by the Civil Service, making up about 16 percent of civil servants.
Of that group, 1,059 were from Ethiopia, making them 1.48% of the Civil Service, which is close to their percentage of the general Israeli population (1.6%). The rest emigrated from other parts of the world after 1990 and make up 14.7% of the Civil Service, as opposed to 12% of the general Israeli population.
The government offices with the highest rate of immigrant employment are the Veterinary Service (28.6%), The Prime Minister’s Office’s Nativ Liaison Bureau to Diaspora Jews from the Former Soviet Union (28.7%) and the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption (31.7%).