Until December 31, 2026 – collective protection of Ukrainians (refugees) in Israel is extended – or until the end of the war in Ukraine and the possibility to return there

Israel extended the updated policy for the stay of Ukrainian citizens until December 31, 2026 — or until the end of the war in Ukraine and the possibility of returning there, if this happens earlier.

This refers to the decision of the Ministry of Interior of Israel and the Population and Immigration Authority, which directly concerns Ukrainians who have been in the country since the start of the full-scale war or entered Israel after its start. The official page was published on March 9, 2026, and updated on June 17, 2026.

For thousands of Ukrainian citizens in Israel, this is not just a technical extension. It answers the main practical question: can one stay in the country further, what happens with the B/2 visa, can one work, and who is responsible for checking the conditions.

What exactly did Israel decide

According to the updated policy, Israel extends the stay permits of type B/2, i.e., tourist visas, for Ukrainian citizens who were legally in Israel on the day the war started or entered the country after its start.

It is important to understand: this is not a new immigration status and not an automatic recognition as a refugee. Israel continues to use a temporary mechanism that allows Ukrainian citizens to stay in the country while the war continues and returning to Ukraine remains problematic.

The state’s formula sounds cautious: the policy is in effect until December 31, 2026 or until the end of the war in Ukraine and the possibility of returning, depending on which comes first. After this period, the authorities promise to review the situation again based on current data.

For Ukrainians in Israel, this means that the current uncertainty does not completely disappear, but the horizon of stay becomes clearer: it is no longer about a short extension for a few weeks or months, but about a policy until the end of 2026.

Work: what is allowed and what is important not to confuse

A separate part of the decision concerns the employment of Ukrainian citizens in Israel.

The Population and Immigration Authority reports that no enforcement measures will be taken against the employment of Ukrainian citizens if two conditions are met: more than 90 days have passed since the person entered Israel, and they have a Ukrainian passport.

This is one of the most important points because many read it as “Ukrainians were given a work visa.” But legally, it is not the same.

It is more accurate to formulate it this way: Israel does not issue an automatic work visa to all Ukrainian citizens, but states that if the specified conditions are met, it will not apply enforcement measures against their employment. This is a regime of non-enforcement, not a classic work status.

The responsibility for checking the conditions is placed on the employer. It is the employer who must ensure that the worker indeed has a Ukrainian passport and has been in Israel for more than 90 days.

For businesses, this is also an important signal. Employers in Israel need not just “take their word for it,” but check documents and the length of stay. Otherwise, risks may arise if it turns out that the policy conditions are not met.

What this means for Ukrainians in Israel

For Ukrainian citizens who have been in Israel for a long time, the decision means continued temporary stability. People can stay in the country under the extended B/2 regime without fearing the automatic end of the policy in the near future.

But there are several important limitations.

Firstly, the B/2 status remains tourist. It does not grant the same rights as the status of a permanent resident, citizen, repatriate, or person with a full work visa.

Secondly, health and education issues are not resolved through the Population and Immigration Authority. The message itself states that for rights in these areas, one should contact the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Education.

Thirdly, there is a standard but important legal disclaimer on the page: if the information on the page contradicts current legislation, the norms of the law take precedence. This means that in complex individual cases — for example, in case of entry refusal, document problems, expired passport, family circumstances, or labor disputes — a person may need separate legal consultation.

For readers of NAnews — News of Israel, the main conclusion is simple: Israel has not closed the temporary mechanism for Ukrainian citizens but extended it until the end of 2026. But this extension does not turn the tourist status into a full work or humanitarian status.

Why the date December 31, 2026, is important

In previous updates, the policy was extended for shorter periods. Therefore, the date 31.12.2026 looks like an attempt to give Ukrainians, employers, schools, families, and municipal services a longer planning horizon.

For the Israeli audience, this is also important news. Many Ukrainians do not live in an abstract “system” but alongside Israelis: they work in families, help the elderly, rent housing, teach children, visit hospitals, open accounts, and look for legal ways to continue a normal life.

The updated policy does not close all questions but reduces one of the main risks — the sudden termination of the temporary stay regime.

History of the issue

After the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022, Israel faced a new situation: Ukrainian citizens began arriving in the country, some of whom had the right to repatriation, and some did not.

Initially, there were disputes around the entry of Ukrainians into Israel. In 2022, Israeli authorities tried to limit the number of arriving Ukrainian citizens who did not have the right to repatriation, but the Supreme Court of Justice of Israel overturned the quota on the entry of Ukrainians. This decision became one of the key turning points in Israeli policy on the Ukrainian issue.

After this, Israel effectively moved to a model of temporary extensions. Most Ukrainian citizens who did not qualify under the Law of Return remained in the country not as repatriates and not as recognized refugees, but under the tourist status B/2, which was periodically extended.

In May 2022, the authorities also began to apply an approach where enforcement measures were not taken against the employment of some Ukrainian citizens. Subsequently, this policy was changed, clarified, extended, and accompanied by additional conditions, including the requirement of a Ukrainian passport and a stay in Israel for more than 90 days. Legal reviews of that period separately emphasized that it was about non-enforcement measures against employers, not the issuance of a regular work visa.

By the end of 2024, human rights organizations noted that most Ukrainians in Israel were still on a tourist visa B/2, and the policy of non-enforcement measures was extended as a temporary solution that did not create a full sustainable status.

Now, after the update on June 17, 2026, Israel has set a new policy expiration date — until December 31, 2026. This is not a final solution to the Ukrainian issue in Israel, but an important continuation of the line that has been forming since 2022: temporary stay, extension of B/2 visas, limited ability to work under conditions, and regular policy review depending on the war in Ukraine.

For Ukrainians in Israel, this means the main thing: the state recognizes that the war continues, returning remains not possible for everyone, and therefore, the temporary regime should continue to operate.