Lipman works to make converting foreign driving licenses easier

Yesh Atid MK vows to take on issue for which he says he has received the most complaints from new immigrants.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Lipman on road safety 370 (photo credit: Courtesy David Ben Gigi)
Lipman on road safety 370
(photo credit: Courtesy David Ben Gigi)
New immigrants will no longer have to take a written driving theory exam if they fail two road tests, Transportation Ministry Licensing Department manager Tzion Mizrahi told the Knesset Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs Committee Tuesday.
Mizrahi plans to bring the new guidelines to the Knesset Economics Committee for authorization.
“This is the issue that my office has heard the most complaints about from new olim,” said MK Dov Lipman (Yesh Atid), “and the answers from the ministry were not satisfactory to say the least.”
Lipman, who initiated the committee meeting, promised not to “cease my efforts on this front until new olim with experience in driving can simply exchange their previous license for an Israeli one. This hearing was a good first step toward accomplishing that goal.”
A new immigrant from the US explained to the committee that she had to take the driving theory written exam nine times, because she could not understand Hebrew and the translation into English was poor.
The Transportation Ministry is currently working on an agreement that would allow immigrants from Italy to automatically convert their licenses. Immigration Committee chairman Yoel Razbozov (Yesh Atid) called on the ministry to sign more agreements with countries that have higher numbers of immigrants.
“An injustice has been caused to new immigrants in the whole process of converting licenses,” said Lipman.
“We are a country of immigrants, and we have to make life easier for those who want to live here.”