The 9-5 office of the past has gradually transformed into a much more fluid work environment, in which remote working has a place of honor. There are, of course, jobs that can’t be done remotely, and employers who don’t allow it even though it could technically work, so remote working in Israel isn’t an option for everyone.
But if you’re thinking about aliyah or are considering a career change in Israel, remote work might be on your radar. Let’s start with the ways it can be awesome:
- If you already have a job outside Israel and you’re pretty happy with it, remote work can be a great solution that allows you to move to Israel and continue working for your American company. If set up correctly, your employer doesn’t have to create an entity in Israel in order to employ you. You can keep doing what you know how to do at a company that appreciates you while enjoying life in Israel.
- Work/life balance is often off-kilter in a traditional office job, with much more time and energy spent on work than on life. But when you work remotely, you tend to have more flexibility with your schedule and find it easier to establish boundaries where you need them. Even if you’re working set American hours, you will find that having the mornings off for children, errands, chores or a leisurely breakfast out with friends can make a huge difference in your happiness.
- American companies tend to pay higher salaries and consulting fees than their Israeli counterparts. Working remotely in Israel means that you can enjoy better pay for the same type of work you’re already doing or want to do. You can also work for more than one client and for companies around the world and take home more money at the end of the month. Of course, a higher gross salary outside of Israel may end up not being so lucrative once exchange rates, bituach leumi and taxes are taken into account, so you need to investigate this on a case-by-case basis.
- Depending on your level of fluency in Hebrew and familiarity with Israeli culture, you may find it easier to work remotely in your home country.
Not everything is rosy in the world of remote working, of course. Here are some things to consider that make working remotely a little less attractive:
- Israeli companies deduct taxes automatically from their employee’s salaries, so there’s usually no filing necessary. If you’re working remotely, you are officially considered a freelancer in Israel and that means that you need to file taxes and pay them separately. Some remote workers in Israel prefer to be employed by an Israeli payroll company which deducts taxes for them in order to avoid this pitfall.
- Israeli employers are required by law to provide certain social benefits such as sick days and a minimum number of vacation days. Many companies also add extra benefits, like a tax-free savings fund (Keren Hishtalmut) or a leased company car. Freelance remote workers are generally not eligible for these benefits and must fend for themselves.
- When you’re not working in an office, you don’t get to chat with colleagues while making coffee in the morning or start a brainstorming session by walking past someone’s desk. You may find it harder to get quick answers to small questions (although WhatsApp or a task management system may help with this). And you might get left out of meetings and important updates. Of course, with some extra effort you can be a vital member of any team, even if you’re far away.
- If you’re working American hours (which are evening hours here in Israel) you may find the late evenings a challenge, especially if you don’t have the ability to sleep later in the morning. Work will also conflict with social events such as weddings, concerts and dinners out with friends who work during the day.
We’d love to hear from you. If you decided to work remotely, what were the deciding factors? What do you miss about working in an office and what aspects are you glad to be rid of?