LawImmigration
Entry into Israel Law, 5712-1952
חוק הכניסה לישראל, תשי"ב-1952
Published: 1952-09-05Last amended 2026-07-20✓ Amendment status checked against the Knesset legislation record on 2026-09-28
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Unofficial English translation — for reference only. It may contain errors or omissions and cannot be relied on as a legal text. Only the Hebrew text published in Reshumot is legally binding.More
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The Hebrew text as published in Reshumot (ספר החוקים) and on the Knesset website is the sole authoritative and legally binding version. In any discrepancy, the Hebrew text prevails.
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Section E: Unlawful Lodging and Employment
Definitions for Section E§
12b1.
In this Section –
"the officer in charge of the investigation" – the police officer appointed to be responsible for the investigation, and if no such person in charge has been appointed – the police officer of the most senior rank investigating the offence;
"employer" – including an employing party, an actual employer, a manpower intermediary and a manpower contractor as defined in the Foreign Workers Law;
"authorised police officer" – a district commander or a national unit commander in the Israel Police, of the rank of Assistant Commissioner and above;
"plaintiff" – as defined in Section 12 of the Criminal Procedure Law.
Unlawful Lodging and Employment§
12b2.
(a)Notwithstanding the provisions of any enactment, the following are liable to four years' imprisonment or the fine prescribed in section 61(a)(3) of the Penal Law, 5737-1977:
(1)one who makes a place of lodging available, for payment or without payment, to a foreign resident who entered Israel unlawfully or who is residing therein unlawfully, or who assists, for payment or without payment, such a foreign resident in obtaining a place of lodging, all whether directly or indirectly, whether by himself or through another employed by him or on his behalf;
(2)an employer who employs a worker who is a foreign resident not entitled to work in Israel under this Law, whether directly or indirectly, whether by himself or through another employed by him or on his behalf.
(b)Where an offence under subsection (a) is committed by a corporation — the penalty is a fine four times the fine prescribed in section 61(a)(3) of the Penal Law, 5737-1977.
(c)
(1)A fine imposed under subsection (a) shall not be less than NIS 5,000, unless the court has decided, for special reasons to be recorded, to mitigate the penalty;
(2)A fine imposed on a corporation under subsections (a) and (b) shall not be less than NIS 20,000, unless the court has decided, for special reasons to be recorded, to mitigate the penalty;
(3)The provisions of this subsection shall remain in force until the 24th day of Nisan 5787 (1 May 2027).
Unlawful Lodging and Employment in Aggravated Circumstances§
12b3.
(a)Where an offence under section 12b2(a) is committed in one of the circumstances enumerated below, the offender is liable to seven years' imprisonment or the fine prescribed in section 61(a)(4) of the Penal Law, 5737-1977:
(1)lodging or employing as referred to in section 12b2(a), of two or more foreign residents;
(2)lodging or employing a foreign resident as referred to in section 12b2(a), for two consecutive days or more;
(3)lodging a foreign resident as referred to in section 12b2(a) for the purpose of employing him.
(b)Where an offence under subsection (a) is committed by a corporation — the penalty is double the fine prescribed in this section.
(c)
(1)A fine imposed under subsection (a) shall not be less than NIS 10,000, unless the court has decided, for special reasons to be recorded, to mitigate the penalty;
(2)A fine imposed on a corporation under subsections (a) and (b) shall not be less than NIS 40,000, unless the court has decided, for special reasons to be recorded, to mitigate the penalty;
(3)The provisions of this subsection shall remain in force until the 24th day of Nisan 5787 (1 May 2027).
Administrative Order Restricting Use of a Place§
12b4.
(a)If an authorised police officer has reasonable grounds to assume that a place is being used for the commission of an offence under sections 12b2 or 12b3, and also reasonable grounds for concern that the place will continue to be used for the commission of such an offence if the use of the place is not immediately restricted, he may issue an order restricting the use of the place for a period to be determined in the order, and he may extend the validity of the order for additional periods, provided that the total of all periods does not exceed 30 days (in this Chapter — administrative restriction order).
(b)A copy of an administrative restriction order shall be displayed at the place to which it applies and shall be served on the owner of the place and on the possessor of the place if they can be located with reasonable diligence in the circumstances of the matter.
(c)Once an administrative restriction order has been issued, a person who considers himself harmed by the order may apply to an authorised police officer requesting to state his arguments before him in the matter; the authorised police officer shall give his decision within 72 hours from the time of submission of the application.
(d)A person who considers himself harmed by an administrative restriction order may appeal against it to the court, which shall be competent to cancel it or to vary conditions therein.
Judicial Order Restricting Use of a Place§
12b5.
(a)A court may, on a written application by the officer in charge of the investigation, order the extension of the validity of an administrative restriction order for an additional period not exceeding 60 days, if satisfied that the restriction of the use of the place is essential to prevent the continued commission of the offence for which the order was issued, and may repeatedly order as aforesaid from time to time.
(b)Where an indictment has been filed for an offence under sections 12b2 or 12b3, the court may, at the request of a prosecutor —
(1)if an administrative restriction order has been issued in connection with the offence — order the extension of the validity of the order until the conclusion of the proceedings or until an earlier date to be determined;
(2)if no administrative restriction order has been issued in connection with the offence — issue an order restricting the use of the place until the conclusion of the proceedings or until an earlier date to be determined.
(c)Where an application for the extension of the validity of an administrative restriction order has been submitted under subsection (a) or (b)(1), the hearing on the extension application shall be held as soon as possible, and the original order shall remain in force for an additional period of 30 days from the end of the period ordered by the authorised officer, unless the court determines otherwise.
(d)The court may reconsider a judicial order restricting the use of a place that it issued (in this Chapter — judicial restriction order) if it finds that this is justified due to changed circumstances or facts that came to light after the order was issued.
(e)The officer in charge of the investigation, a prosecutor, an owner of a place or a possessor thereof may appeal against a decision of a court under this section within 30 days from the date of the decision, before an appellate court, which shall hear the appeal by a single judge.
Considerations for Issuing an Order Restricting Use of a Place§
12b6.
When an authorised police officer comes to issue an administrative restriction order or a court comes to issue a judicial restriction order, he or it shall consider, among other things, the following:
(1)the commission of prior offences at the place;
(2)the knowledge of the owner of the place or the possessor thereof of the commission of an offence at the place or of the intention to commit an offence at the place;
(3)the degree of harm that will be caused to the owner of the place or to the possessor thereof by the issuance of the order.
Content of an Order Restricting Use of a Place§
12b7.
(a)An administrative restriction order or a judicial restriction order shall prescribe conditions, restrictions or prohibitions on the use of the place, including the closure of the place for the period specified in the order, all to an extent not exceeding what is required in the circumstances of the matter in order to prevent the continued commission of an offence at the place.
(b)An administrative restriction order or a judicial restriction order may also include a requirement for the provision of a security to ensure compliance with the conditions, restrictions or prohibitions prescribed in the order.
(c)In this section, "security" — a monetary bond or a personal undertaking by the owner of the place or the possessor thereof, whether alone or together with a guarantee of any kind, a guarantee or monetary bond provided by guarantors, all as the authorised police officer or the court shall direct in the administrative restriction order or the judicial restriction order, as the case may be.
Execution of an Order Restricting Use of a Place§
12b8.
Once an administrative restriction order or a judicial restriction order has been issued, a police officer may enter the place in respect of which the order was issued and take reasonable measures, including the use of force, as are necessary to ensure compliance with the order.
Order Suspending a Licence or Business Permit§
12b9.
(a)A court may, on a written application by the officer in charge of the investigation, order the suspension of a licence or business permit granted under any law, of a person suspected of committing an offence as referred to in sections 12a, 12b2 or 12b3, in an occupation connected to the offence, if there is reasonable grounds for concern that the continued pursuit of the occupation constitutes a danger to public safety or security or is likely to facilitate the commission of a similar offence, for a period to be determined in the order, and it may extend the validity of the order for additional periods, provided that the total of all periods does not exceed 30 days.
(b)Where an indictment has been filed for an offence under sections 12a, 12b2 or 12b3, the court may, at the request of a prosecutor, issue an order as referred to in subsection (a) until the conclusion of the proceedings or until an earlier date to be determined, if satisfied that there is reasonable grounds for concern that the continued pursuit of the occupation connected to the offence constitutes a danger to public safety or security or is likely to facilitate the commission of a similar offence.
(c)The officer in charge of the investigation, a prosecutor and a suspect or defendant against whom an order has been issued under subsections (a) or (b) may appeal against the decision of the court under subsections (a) or (b), within 30 days from the date of the decision, before an appellate court, which shall hear the appeal by a single judge.
Imposition of the Penalty of Suspension of a Licence or Business Permit§
12b10.
(a)Where an individual or a corporation has been convicted of an offence under section 12a, except for subsections (c)(1a) and (c6), or section 12b2, the court may, in addition to any other penalty, order the suspension of a licence or business permit granted under any law, in an occupation connected to the offence, for a period not exceeding six months.
(b)Where an individual or a corporation has been convicted of an offence under section 12a(c)(1a) or (c6) or 12b3, the court shall order, in addition to any other penalty, the suspension of a licence or business permit granted under any law, in an occupation connected to the offence, for a period not exceeding one year, unless it considered not to do so for special reasons to be recorded.
Subject-Matter and Territorial Jurisdiction in Issuing Orders§
12b11.
(a)The provisions of sections 2 and 3 of the Detention Law, with regard to the subject-matter and territorial jurisdiction of courts, shall apply with regard to proceedings under sections 12a(c4)(1) and 12b4 through 12b9.
(b)An application under sections 12a(c4)(1), 12b5(b) or 12b9(b) shall be heard, as far as possible, before a judge who is not hearing the indictment.
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Contact Us →Section F: Miscellaneous Provisions
Breach of an Order Restricting Use of a Place§
12b12.
(a)Where the provisions of an administrative restriction order or a judicial restriction order have been breached, including a requirement for the provision of a security, an authorised police officer may order the immediate closure of the place in respect of which such an order was issued, for a period that shall end no later than the expiry of the period of validity of the restriction order that was issued.
(b)One who breaches the provisions of an administrative restriction order or a judicial restriction order — the penalty is two years' imprisonment.
(c)A judge hearing the matter of a person who has breached an administrative restriction order or a judicial restriction order may, in addition to any penalty, order the forfeiture of the security required in the order; however, an application for the forfeiture of a security provided by a guarantor shall not be heard unless the guarantor has been given an opportunity to state his arguments.
Presumption§
12b13.
A person who performed an act as referred to in sections 12a(c) or (c5), 12b2 or 12b3, and whose awareness of the fact that the person who was lodged, employed, transported or driven, as the case may be, is a foreign resident has been proved, bears the burden of proof that the act was done in one of the following:
(1)after having checked that the foreign resident holds documents by virtue of which he entered Israel lawfully and is residing therein lawfully, or, with respect to an offence under section 12a(c5) — documents by virtue of which he is entitled to drive a vehicle in Israel;
(2)in circumstances in which he did not suspect that the foreign resident entered Israel unlawfully, that he is residing therein unlawfully, or, with respect to an offence under section 12a(c5) — in circumstances in which he did not suspect that the foreign resident is not entitled to drive a vehicle in Israel.
Liability of an Office Holder in a Corporation§
12b14.
(a)An office holder in a corporation is obliged to supervise and do everything possible to prevent offences as referred to in sections 12a, 12b2 and 12c3 being committed by the corporation or by any of its employees; one who breaches that duty — the penalty is the fine prescribed in section 61(a)(2) of the Penal Law, 5737-1977.
(b)Where an offence under sections 12a, 12b2 or 12b3 has been committed by a corporation or by any of its employees, it is presumed that the office holder has breached his duty under subsection (a), unless he proves that he did everything possible to prevent the offence; for the purposes of this section, "office holder" — an active manager in the corporation, a partner excluding a limited partner, or an official responsible on behalf of the corporation for the area in which the offence was committed.
Forfeiture§
12b15.
(a)Where a person has been convicted of an offence under section 12a, except subsections (c)(1a) and (c6), or 12b2, the court shall order, in addition to any other punishment, the forfeiture of the consideration received by that person or its monetary value.
(b)Where a person has been convicted of an offence under section 12a(c)(1a) or (c6) or 12b3, the court shall order, in addition to any other punishment, the forfeiture of property that is one of the following, unless it has found reason not to do so for special reasons that shall be recorded:
(1)property of the convicted person connected to the offence, including the dwelling or business in which the offence was committed;
(2)property of the convicted person that is equivalent in value to property connected to the offence.
(c)There shall be a presumption that any property found in the possession, control or account of the convicted person is his property, unless proven otherwise.
(d)The provisions pursuant to sections 36a(c), (e) and (f), 36c to 36f and 36i of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance [New Version], 5733-1973, shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the forfeiture of property under this section.
(e)The powers of search and seizure under the Criminal Procedure Ordinance (Arrest and Search) [New Version], 5729-1969, shall apply, mutatis mutandis, also in respect of property in relation to which a forfeiture order may be made under this section.
Supervision§
12c.
The provisions of sections 74 to 76 of the Employment Service Law, 5719-1959, and the provisions of section 6 of the Foreign Workers Law shall apply also with respect to supervision by the Ministry of Labour and Welfare in relation to sections 12b2 and 12b3.
Implementation§
12d.
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 15 and any other law, the Minister of National Security is responsible for the implementation of Sections C and E of this Chapter, and, in addition and separately, the Minister of Labour and Welfare is responsible for the implementation of sections 12b2 and 12b3, in respect of offences committed by an employer as defined in section 12b1.
Determination of Minimum Punishment — Temporary Provision§
12e.
(a)Where a person has been convicted of an offence under sections 12a(c), (c5) or (c6), 12b2 or 12b3, his punishment shall not be less than one quarter of the maximum punishment prescribed for that offence, unless the court has decided, for special reasons that shall be recorded, to reduce his punishment; a sentence of imprisonment under this subsection shall not, in the absence of special reasons, be wholly suspended.
(b)The provisions of this section shall remain in force until the 24th day of Nisan 5787 (1 May 2027).
Report to the Knesset§
12f.
The Minister of National Security shall submit to the National Security Committee of the Knesset, at the beginning of the month of January of each year, a report on the number of cases in the year preceding the date of the report in which —
(1)investigations were opened on suspicion of offences under sections 12a(c), (c5), (c5a) and (c6), 12b2 and 12b3;
(2)investigations as referred to in paragraph (1) were concluded without the filing of an indictment and the grounds therefor;
(3)indictments were filed in respect of offences as referred to in paragraph (1);
(4)judgments and sentences were handed down in criminal proceedings conducted in respect of offences as referred to in paragraph (1), and their outcomes.
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