The Ministry of Housing and Construction says fewer Palestinians and foreign workers and more Israelis are working in construction. In 2003, 60,000 Palestinians and foreign workers worked in construction. Their numbers fell to 52,000 in 2004, 42,000 in 2005, and 39,000 in 2006. At the same time, the number of Israelis working in the industry rose from 117,400 in 2000 to 135,100 in 2006.
The ministry attributes the increase in the number of Israelis working in construction to cuts in quotas for foreign workers, closures of the Palestinian Authority areas, which caused uncertainty as to whether workers could get to their jobs in Israel, and higher salaries. In September 2006, the government decided to gradually reduce quotas for foreign workers until their cancellation by 2010.
The ministry added that the average gross monthly salary in construction was NIS 6,095 in 2006, 1% less in real terms than in the NIS 6,400 salary in 2005. The average salary of a foreign worker was NIS 5,470, 85% of the salary of an Israeli. The average salary of a foreign worker rose 4% over 2005.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on February 5, 2007
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