Ministry of Construction and Housing / Ministry of Aliyah and Integration — Government Housing Assistance for New Immigrants (Rental, Public Housing, Eligibility Certificate)

Source: Israeli Government Guide for New Immigrants · 2026-05

41 Purchasing an apartment is a major financial investment. The majority of buyers, both new immigrants and veteran Israelis, receive government assistance for the purchase of an apartment. Loans are also available from the banks and from construction companies. New immigrants enjoy preferential terms for government mortgages. It is important to use the services of a lawyer when buying an apartment. The responsibility of the lawyer is to enquire about the legal status of the real estate you are planning to purchase (where exactly the property is registered, whether it is not mortgaged or under a court order, etc.) and make sure the property is registered under your name. Later the lawyer will draft the contract in order that your interests are not harmed. On the website of the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration there is an example of a contract for purchasing an apartment in Hebrew: https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/generalpage/olim_benefits_ purchasing_appartment/he/BuyingSellingapartment.pdf Government Housing Assistance Rental Assistance Automatic Assistance According to Length of Residence During the first months in Israel, new immigrants who are eligible for it receive housing assistance from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration that is part of the seven payments of the “Absorption Basket”. Starting from the eighth month following aliyah and until the end of the fifth year following aliyah, housing assistance is given by the Ministry of Construction and Housing. If you have not received this assistance, consult with a personal absorption counselor at a branch of the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration in your area of residence. Assistance is not conditioned upon income, and is based upon family size, age, and length of residence in Israel. For more information consult with a personal absorption counselor at a branch of the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration in your area of residence.

42 Please Note! It is advisable to track the receipt of payments starting from the eighth month following aliyah. Assistance according to level of income (income test) (mivchan hachnasa)
New immigrants (as well as the rest of the population) who receive subsistence allowances from the National Insurance Institute, and also families whose income does not exceed a certain amount (“fulfillment of earning abilities” (mitzuy kosher histacrut)), may be eligible for assistance for paying rent (this assistance is higher than the automatic assistance). This assistance for paying rent is without a time limit, only if the new immigrants meet the criterion of “not owning an apartment” (“Hasar Dira”). A definition of this criterion is on the website of the Ministry of Construction and Housing in Hebrew: https://www.gov.il/he/departments/guides/hagdarat_chasrey_dira The assistance for paying rent is given by the Ministry of Construction and Housing. Please Note! In order to enquire about housing assistance one should turn to an absorption counselor. The assistance is dependent on presenting a valid eligibility certificate (Te’udat Zakaut). All family members who are requesting assistance and who are registered on the same new immigrant certificate, are listed together on the same eligibility certificate. In order to receive the eligibility certificate one should turn to one of the Housing Assitance Companies: Amidar, Milgam, or M.A.G.A.R. (see: Useful Addresses), and present the necessary documents. The eligibility certificate is issued for a limited time period and usually for one year only. The branches of the companies are spread throughout the country. For information about days and hours of public reception one should turn to the national call center. The phone numbers of the companies appear at the end of this publication. Those who are eligible for higher rental assistance (in accordance with an income test) must turn to one of the companies mentioned above in order to issue an eligibility certificate.

43 It is possible that one who receives the basic assistance given to all new immigrants, will be eligible for additional assistance in accordance with the housing regulation. It is recommended to turn to the housing counselor at the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration in order to examine this type of eligibility. Please Note! In general one should keep all of the original documents and submit only copies. On the rare occasion that the original is necessary, make sure you have a copy of it. Public Housing Certain groups of new immigrants may be eligible for public housing, in accordance with the decisions of the Ministry. Public housing consists of a supply of state-owned apartments, which are offered as a housing solution to those in need. The apartments are rented for a low cost to those who are eligible for them, by the Housing Assistance Companies that rent out public housing apartments: Amidar, Milgam, Center of Alonim - M.A.G.A.R. (one company operates in each residential area). The majority of apartments are located in peripheral areas of the country - in the north and south of the country, there is a limited amount of available apartments. This is why receiving an apartment involves a long wait and receiving one is not guaranteed. Registration for the waiting list for a public apartment depends on the date of aliyah and the severity of the social case, and is done in the area of residence of the person who is eligible. The rental payment for the apartment varies depending on the location of the apartment, its size, and the level of income of the tenant. During the waiting period for public housing new immigrants are eligible for rental assistance. The period of eligibility for public housing is 15 years from the date of aliyah. At the conclusion of the 15-year period, persons who meet eligibility criteria are transferred for services to the Ministry of Construction and Housing. The Ministry of Construction and Housing will check their eligibility for housing according to its regulations. However, the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration continues to take care of the eligibility and allotment of housing solutions for elderly new immigrants.