Nefesh BNefesh - Aliyah: Live the Dream

Disclaimer: Misrad Habriut regulations are subject to change without advance notice and are constantly changing. For the most current information regarding licensing procedures, please see Misrad Habriut's site. Nefesh B’Nefesh does not take responsibility for inaccuracies on the site or changes to the law.

For direct links to the occupational therapy licensing pages on the Misrad Habriut site, please see: Misrad Habriut Licensing for Health Professions (Links).

There is a strong demand for occupational therapists to work in various areas such as:
• Integration Therapy
• Rehabilitation Therapy
• Psychiatrically Oriented Therapy

Occupational Therapists are employed in Health funds (Kupot Cholim), hospitals, clinics, hospitals, special-ed schools, etc.

Obtaining a License

Anyone applying to Misrad Habriut for licensing as an occupational therapist is required to take an exam in order to be licensed in Israel.

Please note: It is now possible to apply to the Ministry of Health Pre Aliyah. It is also possible to take the licensing exam as a tourist. For more information, please see the following article: Start your Licensing Before Aliyah.

Misrad Habriut now offers a new customer call center to answer questions about licensing for health care professionals. Call *5400 from Israel or 972-8-6241010 from abroad. The center operates Sunday through Thursday, 8am-6pm, and Fridays from 8am-1pm, Israel time.

When you first arrive as an Oleh, you should submit all of your licensing documentation to Misrad Habriut. If you live in the Jerusalem area or in Acco, Tzfat, Nazareth, Afula, Tiberias or Be'er Sheva, this documentation must be sent via registered mail to: Misrad Habriut, Division for Licensing of Medical Professions, Rechov Yirmiyahu 39, Jerusalem, 9101002.

If you live outside of these areas, you must bring these documents in person to your local Misrad Habriut office. For a listing of offices, see Misrad Habriut offices. 

Required Documents for the Licensing Process

Graduates who completed recognized academic degree programs in occupational therapy, in an institution recognized by the Council for Higher Education in Israel or in an institution abroad that is recognized by the Council, can submit a request for degree recognition.

Please note:

1. All documents must be translated and notarized by an Israeli notary. For each document that you submit, you will need to submit 1 notarized copy, plus a photocopy of that same document. (Please also make a photocopy of each notarized document for your files.) Do not submit any original files.
2. You cannot notarize the documents using a North American or U.K. notary, nor can you do this at the Israeli Consulate. Please see Notarization Services for more information.
3. Documents that are not written in Hebrew or Arabic, must be translated to Hebrew using a recognized translator in Israel.

The following documents must be included with the request:

1. 2 passport pictures.
2. A copy of your Teudat Zehut, including the Sefach, the appendix with your address. If you are applying pre-Aliyah, please provide a copy of your passport with your application to Misrad Habriut.
3. Final diploma or a certificate from the university indicating completion of studies, fulfillment of all of the university’s requirements and eligibility for a diploma in the relevant field, which will be granted at a specified date.
4. Official certification indicating the start and end date of studies.
5. Official certification of an internship (“stage”) indicating the number of hours that you completed. OTs must have completed at least 1,000 hours of internship.The greater the number of hours considered as part of your internship, the more likely it is that your licensing process will proceed smoothly. (If you did not complete an internship, please provide official certification about supervised work done in the field abroad, with a valid license, for at least one year.)
6. Official certifications of work experience, from the relevant medical institutions, indicating the start and end date of work in each institution.
7. Valid license.
8. A letter of good standing from the relevant authorities in the country that you made Aliyah from, proving that you never received complaints about discipline, negligence or professional ethics.
9. An application form. The forms are available online.
10. An application requesting to be tested in the relevant field. The forms are available online.
11. Documentation indicating a name change, where relevant.

Receiving Your Permanent License

To receive the permanent license, you must submit all of your translated and notarized documents to Misrad Habriut. Misrad Habriut will then send you a permission form allowing you to take the licensing exam. Once you pass the exam you should receive your license in the mail. You may pay for your license online: Misrad Habriut Online Payment.

Misrad Habriut does not send a reminder indicating that your licensing is going to expire soon. As soon as you receive your license, please mark your calendar 12 weeks before the expiration date so that you can receive your renewed license before the old one expires.

Places of Employment

Kupot Cholim 
Each of the four health funds, Meuchedet, Macabbi, Clalit and Leumit has branches throughout the country. The differences between the health funds lie mainly in the location of their facilities, the types of supplemental policies offered, and additional services offered within the framework of their facilities. Most large cities have a clinic in almost every district. OTs either work in the Kupot or work privately and accept Kupot members and get paid per treatment.

Private Practice
When you have a private practice you can see either see patients on a strictly private basis, or, if you have an agreement with a Kupah, you can receive members of health funds and then be reimbursed by the funds. There are many practices that combine the two.

Finding Work

One way to begin looking for work is to directly contact your local health funds or local hospitals and speak to the department head of Occupational Therapy.

It is also possible to turn to the government employment bureau for academics, known as the Bureau for the Placement of Professionals (Lishka Le Ta'asukat Acadama'im). In Jerusalem, go to:

Lishkat Taasuka
21 Rechov Yaffo (opposite Safra Square), Jerusalem
Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, 8:30 – 11:30 AM and 12:30 – 2:30 PM 
Monday, Wednesday, 8:30 AM – 13:30 PM 
Phone: 02 501 3100
Etti and Bilha speak English.

For a full listing of Lishkat Taasuka locations throughout Israel, see Lishkat Taasuka Offices

In addition, the Ministry of Education might be contacted regarding positions for occupational therapists both in regular and special education schools.

Finally, word of mouth is often one of the best sources of job leads. Don't hesitate to let everyone you can know that you are seeking work, and follow up on any leads they may offer. Many positions are filled without ever being advertised.

Knowledge of Hebrew

A good working knowledge of Hebrew is essential. It is strongly advised to study Hebrew before you arrive and then to take Ulpan upon arrival. Even where an immigrant occupational therapist works entirely with speakers of his/her mother tongue, it is still necessary to deal with the various agencies that make up the Israeli medical network. For a full listing of Ulpan options, see the Ulpan Guide.

In addition to regular Ulpan, Misrad HaKlita offers an Ulpan for medical professionals - shlav bet. The class opens provided there are enough people who are interested. Be in touch with your local branch of Misrad HaKlita to find out when the next class will begin. For more information, see Medical Ulpan.

Recognition of Diplomas through Misrad Hachinuch

If you intend to work in any public institution including schools or hospitals, you must have all of your academic diplomas recognized by Misrad Hachinuch (Ministry of Education) for salary assessment purposes. When you work in a public institution, your salary is partially based on your level of education. See Recognition of Academic Degrees.