Israel Jobs 50 French Candidates Before They Board Planes
Ministry officials in Paris matched prospective immigrants with employers at recent fairs as arrival numbers jumped 50 percent.
By Larissa Shah ·
The gap between wanting to move and actually having a job is closing in France. Ministry representatives in Paris, Marseille, and Lyon have begun hiring processes for prospective immigrants before they leave their home country. This shift marks a departure from traditional absorption methods that wait for families to arrive.
Aliyah and Integration Ministry director-general Dganit Sankar-Langa announced on Monday that the government is preparing for potential French capital controls. She stated that post-election decisions could restrict the transfer of savings to Israel. Officials view this financial uncertainty as a factor driving higher immigration interest alongside antisemitism.
The volume of arrivals supports the urgency. Approximately 3,400 Jews moved from France to Israel in 2025. More than 4,000 have arrived in 2026. This represents a nearly 50 percent increase over the same period last year. By comparison, North America, home to eight million Jews, is projected to send only about 4,000 immigrants this year.
Company representatives joined the recent fairs to execute this strategy. Delegates from Israel Aerospace Industries, Elbit Systems, and Bank Mizrahi-Tefahot met with roughly 200 prospective immigrants in Paris. They identified over 50 candidates as suitable for open positions. Some candidates conducted advanced interviews the day after the event.
The social climate in France is shifting for the Jewish community. Roni, a 75-year-old Paris resident since 1975, noted that Hebrew fluency is now often met with negativity. He said many Jews avoid wearing kippahs even on Yom Kippur. Younger professionals in their 30s and 40s are reevaluating their futures despite successful careers in high-tech.
New residential clusters are forming beyond the traditional hubs of Netanya, Tel Aviv, and Ashdod. Populations have grown in Nahariya, Afula, Hadera, and the Neve Sha’anan neighborhood of Haifa. Approximately 200 French immigrants have settled in Or Akiva in recent years. These groups help newcomers build social networks and preserve linguistic heritage.
Minister Ofir Sofer said immigration from France is at its highest level in years. He emphasized that quality employment is key to successful integration. Sankar-Langa described the ministry as a human resources department for the state. The goal is to fill shortages in engineering, medicine, education, and artificial intelligence.
