Why does degree recognition matter for olim?
Your foreign degree is not automatically recognized in Israel. For many jobs in the public sector, regulated professions, and some large private employers, you need an official equivalency evaluation from the Israeli authorities. Without it, you may be turned down for roles you are fully qualified for, or offered a lower salary grade than your qualifications warrant.
The good news is that the process is free for olim through the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, and starting early can save you months of frustration when you begin your job search.
The Ministry of Aliyah Degree Evaluation Service
The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration (Misrad HaKlita) provides a free degree evaluation service specifically for olim. This service assesses your foreign degree and issues an official equivalency document stating its Israeli equivalent level (Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate).
This is different from the Ministry of Education's general evaluation service, which is available to all residents but charges a fee. As an oleh, always use the Ministry of Aliyah's free service first.
What documents do you need to get your degree recognized?
Gather these documents before starting the process:
- Original diploma - the actual degree certificate from your university. Photocopies are not accepted for the initial submission
- Academic transcripts - the full transcript showing all courses and grades. Must be original or certified by the issuing institution
- Apostille - your diploma must bear an apostille stamp from the issuing country. This is an international authentication recognized under the Hague Convention. Obtain it from your country's designated authority before leaving
- Certified Hebrew or English translation - if your documents are in a language other than Hebrew or English, you need a certified translation by a court-authorized translator
- Teudat Oleh - your immigration certificate confirming oleh status
- Teudat Zehut - your Israeli ID
Tip
Get your apostille before you leave your home country. Arranging it from Israel is possible but significantly more complicated and time-consuming.
How long does degree recognition take in Israel?
The Ministry of Aliyah evaluation typically takes 2-3 months from submission of complete documents. Incomplete submissions are the most common cause of delays. During peak aliyah periods (summer months), processing may take closer to 4 months.
Warning
The evaluation takes 2-4 months, and you cannot speed it up once submitted. If you need the equivalency letter for job applications or professional licensing, submit your documents in your first week in Israel. Waiting until you're actively job hunting means losing months of potential employment.
You will receive a written evaluation letter (Michtav Hashvaah) confirming the Israeli equivalent of your degree. Keep multiple certified copies of this letter - you will need it for employers, professional licensing boards, and potentially for salary negotiations.
When do you need a degree evaluation in Israel?
Not every job in Israel requires a formal degree evaluation. You specifically need it for:
- Public sector employment: Government ministries, municipalities, public hospitals, and national institutions require the equivalency letter as part of the hiring process
- Regulated professions: Any profession with a licensing board (medicine, law, engineering, accounting, teaching, psychology, social work) requires the evaluation as a prerequisite for professional licensing
- Academic positions: Universities and colleges require the evaluation for faculty appointments
- Salary negotiations: Many employers, especially in large companies, use degree level as a factor in determining salary grade. The evaluation letter gives you documented proof of your qualifications
In the private tech sector, most employers care more about experience and skills than formal degree recognition. However, having the evaluation on file never hurts.
Which professions need separate licensing in Israel?
Beyond academic evaluation, regulated professions require separate professional licensing. Each field has its own process:
| Profession | Licensing Body | Requirements | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineers | MAHAT | Evaluation of engineering qualifications; generally straightforward for accredited degrees | 2-4 months |
| Doctors | Ministry of Health | Academic recognition, Hebrew proficiency exam, licensing exam (2 parts), supervised internship | 2-4 years |
| Lawyers | Israel Bar Association | Degree evaluation + Israeli law conversion course + Israeli bar exam | 1-2 years |
| Teachers | Ministry of Education | Foreign credential evaluation; requirements vary by subject/grade; professional Hebrew required | Varies |
| Accountants | Institute of CPAs | Israeli accounting and tax law exams; foreign CPA/ACA does not transfer directly | Varies |
Subsidized Retraining and Vocational Ulpan
If your profession requires extensive relicensing in Israel, or if you decide to pivot careers, the Ministry of Aliyah offers subsidized retraining programs:
- Vocational ulpan: Professional Hebrew courses tailored to specific fields (medical Hebrew, legal Hebrew, tech Hebrew). These combine language training with profession-specific vocabulary and workplace norms. Typically 3-5 months, heavily subsidized for olim
- Retraining courses: The Ministry subsidizes professional conversion courses in fields like hi-tech (coding bootcamps), digital marketing, project management, and trades. Subsidies cover 50-80% of course fees for olim within their first few years
- Masa (Journey) programs: For younger olim (18-30), Masa offers subsidized professional development and internship programs across many fields
Check the Ministry of Aliyah website and your local ביטוח לאומי (Bituach Leumi) office for current program offerings and eligibility.
Your foreign degree is not automatically recognized in Israel. As an oleh, use the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration (Misrad HaKlita) free degree evaluation service rather than the Ministry of Education's paid one. You will need your original diploma, full academic transcripts, an apostille from the issuing country, a certified Hebrew or English translation if needed, your Teudat Oleh, and your Teudat Zehut. Evaluation typically takes 2 to 4 months and produces an equivalency letter (Michtav Hashvaah) confirming your Israeli-equivalent degree level. Arrange your apostille and documents before leaving home, and submit within your first week in Israel. Regulated professions like medicine, law, engineering, accounting, and teaching require additional licensing beyond academic recognition, which can take 1 to 3 years, and the Ministry of Aliyah subsidizes vocational ulpan and retraining courses for olim.
No. Your foreign degree is not automatically recognized in Israel. For many jobs in the public sector, regulated professions, and some large private employers, you need an official equivalency evaluation from the Israeli authorities. Without it, you may be turned down for roles you are fully qualified for, or offered a lower salary grade than your qualifications warrant. In the private tech sector, most employers care more about experience and skills than formal degree recognition, but having the evaluation on file never hurts.
As an oleh, always use the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration (Misrad HaKlita) free degree evaluation service first. It is provided specifically for olim and issues an official equivalency document stating your degree's Israeli equivalent level (Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate). This is different from the Ministry of Education's general evaluation service, which is available to all residents but charges a fee.
Gather these before starting: your original diploma (photocopies are not accepted for the initial submission), your full academic transcripts (original or certified by the issuing institution), an apostille stamp on your diploma from the issuing country’s designated authority, a certified Hebrew or English translation by a court-authorized translator if your documents are in another language, your Teudat Oleh (immigration certificate confirming oleh status), and your Teudat Zehut (Israeli ID).
The Ministry of Aliyah evaluation typically takes 2 to 3 months from submission of complete documents, and can run closer to 4 months during peak aliyah periods in the summer. Incomplete submissions are the most common cause of delays, and you cannot speed up the evaluation once it is submitted. You will receive a written evaluation letter called a Michtav Hashvaah confirming the Israeli equivalent of your degree. Keep multiple certified copies, since you will need it for employers, professional licensing boards, and potentially salary negotiations.
Get your apostille before you leave your home country, because arranging it from Israel is possible but significantly more complicated and time-consuming. The US has no national apostille authority: apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State in the state where your university is located, so a California state university degree needs the California Secretary of State's apostille, not a federal one. In the UK, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Legalisation Office in Milton Keynes handles apostilles for all UK documents, typically within 2 to 4 weeks by post or same-day for a premium. If your country is not a signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention, you will need full embassy legalization instead.
Not every job requires a formal degree evaluation. You specifically need it for public sector employment (government ministries, municipalities, public hospitals, and national institutions), for regulated professions with a licensing board (medicine, law, engineering, accounting, teaching, psychology, social work) where it is a prerequisite for licensing, for academic faculty appointments at universities and colleges, and often for salary negotiations at large companies that use degree level to set salary grade. The private tech sector generally weighs experience and skills more heavily than formal recognition.
Yes. Beyond academic evaluation, regulated professions require separate professional licensing, each with its own process and body. Engineers go through MAHAT (generally straightforward for accredited degrees, about 2 to 4 months). Doctors go through the Ministry of Health with academic recognition, a Hebrew proficiency exam, a two-part licensing exam, and a supervised internship (2 to 4 years). Lawyers need a degree evaluation plus an Israeli law conversion course and the Israeli bar exam (1 to 2 years) through the Israel Bar Association. Teachers go through the Ministry of Education with a foreign credential evaluation and professional Hebrew. Accountants must pass Israeli accounting and tax law exams through the Institute of CPAs, since a foreign CPA or ACA does not transfer directly.
Yes. If your profession requires extensive relicensing or you decide to pivot careers, the Ministry of Aliyah offers subsidized programs. Vocational ulpan provides profession-specific professional Hebrew (medical, legal, or tech Hebrew), typically 3 to 5 months and heavily subsidized. Retraining courses in fields like hi-tech coding bootcamps, digital marketing, project management, and trades are subsidized at 50 to 80 percent of fees for olim within their first few years. Masa (Journey) programs offer subsidized professional development and internships for younger olim aged 18 to 30. Check the Ministry of Aliyah website and your local Bituach Leumi office for current offerings and eligibility.
The Bottom Line
The most common mistake olim make is waiting until they are actively job hunting to start the degree recognition process. By then, the 2-3 month evaluation timeline feels like an eternity. If possible, gather your original documents, arrange apostilles, and prepare translations before you leave your home country. Submit to the Ministry of Aliyah within your first week in Israel.
Organizations like Nefesh B'Nefesh and the Jewish Agency offer pre-aliyah guidance on document preparation. Use their checklists to ensure you arrive with everything you need.
