1,300 UP workers wait 14 months for Israel jobs as state announces fresh vacancies
The candidates were shortlisted during the 2024–25 selection drive run by the state’s Skill Development Department. Nearly 5,000 applicants applied from across the state, with 1,383 eventually clearing multiple screening stages
- Jan 16, 2026,
- Updated Jan 16, 2026 7:24 AM IST
More than 1,300 workers from Uttar Pradesh who were selected for overseas jobs in Israel are still waiting to be sent more than a year after clearing the recruitment process, even as the state government has rolled out a new hiring cycle for 2026, fuelling anger and protests among those left behind.
The candidates were shortlisted during the 2024–25 selection drive run by the state’s Skill Development Department. Nearly 5,000 applicants applied from across the state, with 1,383 eventually clearing multiple screening stages. Despite completing the process, none from this group has been deployed so far.
Workers say they cleared every mandatory requirement, including English proficiency tests, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) training, interviews with Israeli employers and final document checks conducted in Varanasi. The recruitment was carried out via the Rozgar Sangam portal in coordination with the National Skill Development Corporation and Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority.
Those selected were approved for skilled construction roles such as shuttering, carpentry, iron bending, tile masonry and plaster masonry, drawing candidates from several districts of Uttar Pradesh.
The prolonged wait has taken a heavy toll. Many say they stopped working locally after being told deployment could happen at short notice, leaving families struggling to make ends meet as months passed with no update.
Arvind, a Lucknow resident chosen for shuttering work, said the uncertainty has upended his household finances. “We are told the call letter could come any day, so taking another job is risky. Fourteen months have passed, and nothing has happened,” he said.
Ved Prakash Tripathi from Sultanpur said his plans have stalled completely since clearing the interviews. “Family responsibilities, marriage and future plans are all hanging in the balance,” he said.
Manoj Kumar from Unnao said he had quit work after convincing his family to back his decision, despite his father’s poor health. “I left all local work to go to Israel. Now even managing household expenses is difficult,” he said.
Adding to the frustration, workers allege that private agencies are continuing to send labourers to Israel by charging hefty sums, reportedly as high as ₹6 lakh. Complaints have named several firms, but no official action has been announced so far.
Responding to the criticism, Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Minister Kapil Dev Agarwal said discussions are ongoing and that the selected workers will be sent after another round of training. He said about 8,000 workers have already been deployed to Israel and that the remaining candidates will be sent in phases.
(With inputs from Ashish Srivastava)
More than 1,300 workers from Uttar Pradesh who were selected for overseas jobs in Israel are still waiting to be sent more than a year after clearing the recruitment process, even as the state government has rolled out a new hiring cycle for 2026, fuelling anger and protests among those left behind.
The candidates were shortlisted during the 2024–25 selection drive run by the state’s Skill Development Department. Nearly 5,000 applicants applied from across the state, with 1,383 eventually clearing multiple screening stages. Despite completing the process, none from this group has been deployed so far.
Workers say they cleared every mandatory requirement, including English proficiency tests, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) training, interviews with Israeli employers and final document checks conducted in Varanasi. The recruitment was carried out via the Rozgar Sangam portal in coordination with the National Skill Development Corporation and Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority.
Those selected were approved for skilled construction roles such as shuttering, carpentry, iron bending, tile masonry and plaster masonry, drawing candidates from several districts of Uttar Pradesh.
The prolonged wait has taken a heavy toll. Many say they stopped working locally after being told deployment could happen at short notice, leaving families struggling to make ends meet as months passed with no update.
Arvind, a Lucknow resident chosen for shuttering work, said the uncertainty has upended his household finances. “We are told the call letter could come any day, so taking another job is risky. Fourteen months have passed, and nothing has happened,” he said.
Ved Prakash Tripathi from Sultanpur said his plans have stalled completely since clearing the interviews. “Family responsibilities, marriage and future plans are all hanging in the balance,” he said.
Manoj Kumar from Unnao said he had quit work after convincing his family to back his decision, despite his father’s poor health. “I left all local work to go to Israel. Now even managing household expenses is difficult,” he said.
Adding to the frustration, workers allege that private agencies are continuing to send labourers to Israel by charging hefty sums, reportedly as high as ₹6 lakh. Complaints have named several firms, but no official action has been announced so far.
Responding to the criticism, Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Minister Kapil Dev Agarwal said discussions are ongoing and that the selected workers will be sent after another round of training. He said about 8,000 workers have already been deployed to Israel and that the remaining candidates will be sent in phases.
(With inputs from Ashish Srivastava)