On 31 March 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that an automatic 2-months extension will be granted to all foreign experts holding a B-1 work Visa that will expire before 10 May 2020. The 2-months extension is granted from the date the current visa expires. This extension applies to all sub-categories of working visas for experts with 1-year work visas, as well as work visas that are normally classified as non-extendable: STEP work visa, Hi-Tech 90 visa, and the SEA work visa. Holders of visas that are eligible for automatic extension may remain in Israel for the additional 2-months period.

Additionally, the Ministry of Health has issued new guidelines regarding the entry of foreign experts needed to conduct critical machinery repairs in Israel. Approval must be requested from the Ministry of Health and this is in addition to the work visa that foreign experts require. Approval for non-medical machinery repairs will be granted in consultation with the government agency of the industry/business of the company trying to send foreign experts to Israel. Approval for medical machinery repairs will be given directly by the Ministry of Health, after consulting with the Ministry Deputy Executive Director.