Financial Incentives for Immigrant Physicians in the North, South and Gaza Envelope

The government is now offering a significant financial incentive to encourage immigrant physicians to work in areas with limited medical services and doctor shortages. The Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration have launched a new program that supports immigrant doctors who choose to work in the Negev, the Galilee or the Tekumah Region (the Gaza Envelope).

This plan sits on top of the regular assistance that new immigrants and returning residents already receive, and it aims to help doctors settle into the public health system while strengthening medical care in areas that need it most.

Negev & Galilee Incentive

To join the program, you must meet all the requirements and receive approval from the authorization committee.

Medical requirements:

You need a valid Israeli medical license and, if relevant, an Israeli specialist license. If you still need to complete your clinical experience for full licensure in Israel, or you are required to do an adaptation period for specialty recognition, these periods will still count as employment for the purpose of the grant.

Interns or residents are not eligible.

Immigration status

You must be one of the following:

• A new immigrant, immigrant citizen or returning minor who received immigrant status within six years before submitting the application.

• A returning resident who lived abroad for at least two years.

Where you work

You must have begun working in the public health system in a Negev or Galilee community only after the temporary order was published. In other words, doctors who were already working in these areas before the incentive was created are not eligible.

Commitment

You need to submit a declaration form that confirms your commitment to work in the Negev or the Galilee for at least three years. The means working in the public healthcare services for at least 60% of your working hours (3 days/week).

Grant Details

There are two levels of grants (tax eligible), depending on whether you only work in the region or you both live and work there.

Only working:

You will receive a total of 300,000 shekels over three years. (100,000 shekels per year)

Living and working:

You will receive a total of 400,000 shekels over three years.

The first year is 140,000 shekels and the second and third years are 130,000 shekels each

How the money is paid:

In the first year, the payment is split into two parts. 50,000 shekels are paid after the first six months and 90,000 shekels are paid at the end of the first year

In the following years, the full annual amount is transferred at the end of each year.

The grant is not considered a salary and is not treated as part of a salary. If a doctor leaves the program before completing the three year commitment, the payments stop and eligibility ends.

Doctors who receive another grant through a different program will have their eligibility reviewed, except for those who receive a grant from the Masa program which does not affect their application.

Application:

Complete this form

Email the form to: med_aliyah@moia.gov.il

Gaza Envelope Incentive

After October 7th, the area around the Gaza Strip was named the Tekumah Region (חבל התקומה) - symbolizing revival and rehabilitation. It covers local authorities within 7 km of Gaza and nearby communities.

The incentive offered for those in the Negev and Galilee was extended to include this war torn area, as part of the efforts to support and rehabilitate the communities badly affected.

The criteria are very similar to the Negev and Galilee incentive with two main differences:

1) It is aimed only at specialists in Family Medicine, OBGYN, Pediatrics, or Psychiatry. Psychiatry specialists are prioritized.

2) The grant offered is up to ₪300,000 over 3 years (the additional 400,000 shekel grant for living in addition to working in the area does not apply)

There first year the grant is split ₪50,000 after 6 months + ₪50,000 after 12 months.

Application:

Complete this form

Email the form to: med_aliyah@moia.gov.il

What’s the bottom line?

This initiative plays an important role in strengthening medical services in the periphery, supporting community recovery and helping immigrant doctors integrate into the health system. It also reflects the government’s appreciation for the skills and contributions that Olim physicians bring to Israel and their investment in encouraging and supporting their immigration.

The grant is taxable, and because it is paid in large lump sums, the effective tax rate can reach close to fifty percent, depending on your income. In practice, a yearly grant of one hundred thousand shekels may leave you with around fifty thousand shekels after tax, which works out to roughly four thousand shekels a month.

On its own, this is not usually enough to motivate a move to the periphery. But if you already have personal, family or professional reasons to consider a grant eligible area, the extra income can genuinely help. And when you consider the broader national impact, including strengthening underserved communities or contributing to rehabilitation in the Gaza Envelope, the program becomes even more meaningful.

If you are exploring cities or yishuvim further north or south, it is worth reaching out to the program coordinators to confirm which locations are included. The boundaries are sometimes broader than expected. For example, Carmei Gat is officially recognized as part of the Tekumah Region and is therefore eligible for the grant.

Helpful contacts:

Rachel Hamer Shemesh

Employment and Professional Networking Consultant

Email: rachelh@moia.gov.il 

Phone: 050-8657756

Daniella Sandler

Head of Projects Division, Directorate for Physicians 

Email: Daniellas@moia.gov.il

Phone: 073-3972237