Israel May Smooth Legal Job Visa Quotas for Georgian Citizens

“We believe that tourist inflows to Georgia from Israel will increase by 100%”, Itsik Moshe, the President of the Georgia-Israel Business Chamber, told Business Morning.

“I have submitted a specific plan for the development of tourism between Georgia and Israel to the Tourism Minister of Israel. Today, many Georgian citizens visit in Israel with tourism visas, but then they remain in Israel for working and this is a real problem. Therefore, the Israeli government may smooth legal job visa quotas for Georgian citizens,” Itsik Moshe said.

“Georgia-Israel tourism relations have intensified about ten times. Today more than 70 000 Israeli citizens visit Georgia a year and we are sure this figure may increase by 100%.

“As to investments, over the past years Israeli investments were not made in Eastern European countries, but these finances are coming to Georgia. For example, a new hotel will open in Tbilisi in several days. In the past year, we invited a 500 person delegation for introducing Georgia to them.

“Wellness tourism is also an important direction. This year, 500 tourists will arrive from Israel who previously were visiting Thailand. They will stay at Rixos-Borjomi.

“Bilateral efforts are required to boost investment inflows, including business forums. Israel does not have any friends in the Caucasus region besides Georgia. We should provide more jobs for Georgia, and both governments should take active efforts to reduce illegal Georgian immigration in Israel. Georgia should show more initiative. Israel is showing full readiness for cooperation.

“In the previous week, I met with the Israeli Tourism Minister and agreed a plan on how to boost tourism from Georgia to Israel. One direction implies the allocation of job visas to Georgian citizens in Israel. Georgian tourists will also be able to enter Israel more easily. Israel has carried out a lot of work to make it clear that a tourist represents our country outside of Israel.

“It is not a good moment when Georgian citizens enter Israel as tourists and then stay to work illegally. Israel remains at war, and there is much caution regarding illegal residents. We plan to increase job visa quotas to bring the mentioned issues to order,” Itsik Moshe said. (cbw.ge)