The second National Conference for Immigrant Physicians in Israel was held Wednesday for doctors who made aliyah (immigrated to Israel) over the past year.
Initiated by the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration in cooperation with all its partner organizations, the conference aimed to accelerate the integration of immigrant physicians into Israel’s healthcare system. The program included meetings with potential employers, presentations on employment tracks, professional guidance on medical licensing and specialty recognition in Israel, and networking opportunities with colleagues across Israel’s medical community.
The conference was held in the presence of Minister of Aliyah and Integration Ofir Sofer, the Directors-General of the IMAP partner ministries, and Nefesh B’Nefesh Co-Founder and Executive Director Rabbi Yehoshua Fass.
Hundreds of physicians immigrated to Israel in 2025 through the International Medical Aliyah Program (IMAP), a national initiative led by Nefesh B’Nefesh, in partnership with Israel’s Aliyah and Integration Ministry, Health Ministry, and the Negev, Galilee, and National Resilience Ministry, in cooperation with The Jewish Agency for Israel. Physicians arrived from North America, France, the United Kingdom, South America, and other countries. According to current trends, hundreds of additional doctors are expected to make aliyah in 2026, further strengthening public healthcare system nationwide.
According to data from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, 541 physicians made aliyah in 2025, including 346 from the former Soviet Union, 93 from North America, 53 from France, 23 from South America, and the remainder from other countries worldwide.
Many of these physicians have already been placed in a wide range of medical positions at hospitals, health funds, and healthcare organizations across Israel, including Ichilov, Hadassah, Sheba Medical Center, Shaare Zedek, Rambam, Soroka, Wolfson, Ha'emek, Laniado, and Barzilai hospitals.
Data indicates that growth in physician aliyah is strongest in countries where IMAP is active and where targeted outreach initiatives and professional conferences were held. In line with this trend, 2025 marked the program’s first expansion into Australia, reflecting growing interest in aliyah among Jewish medical professionals there.
This increase follows a year of extensive international recruitment activity, including job fairs and professional events that brought together representatives from Israeli government ministries and healthcare institutions. These initiatives provided physicians with direct access to information, hands-on assistance with aliyah and licensing processes, and exposure to real-time employment opportunities.
The program concluded 2025 with significant achievements in promoting physician aliyah, supporting licensing and professional integration, and connecting immigrant doctors with employment opportunities across Israel’s healthcare system. Since the launch of IMAP (in 2024), more than 1,000 physicians have made aliyah, receiving assistance with licensing and specialty recognition and successfully entering the workforce.
As part of efforts to strengthen healthcare services in Israel’s periphery, and with the support of the Tekuma Administration and the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, approximately NIS 5 million in grants were awarded over the past year to physicians who chose to live and work in the Negev and the Galilee in in-demand medical fields. These grants were distributed to 15 physicians who met established criteria. The ministries noted their intention to expand the program and encourage additional physicians to choose the periphery as both a professional and residential destination.
"The increase in the number of physicians choosing to come to Israel is a testament to a shared vision and the deep connection between Jewish identity, profession, and mission," Sofer said. "The over 1,000 physicians who have made aliyah over the past two years, during a time of war, express confidence in the State of Israel and its healthcare system and choose to build their future here."
"This is an aliyah of individuals who bring excellence and experience, choosing not only a career but participation in a national effort to strengthen Israel’s healthcare system. The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration is committed to this mission and will continue in 2026 to open doors, remove barriers, and expand the initiative to additional countries."
Negev, Galilee and National Resilience Itshak Waserlauf added, "The arrival of hundreds of immigrant physicians is tremendous news for Israel’s healthcare system, particularly in the Negev and the Galilee. Together with the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, the Ministry of Health, and Nefesh B’Nefesh, we are removing barriers and accelerating their integration. We will continue expanding grants for physicians who choose to live and work in the periphery as part of strengthening Israel’s national resilience."
"Nefesh B’Nefesh is honored to help lead the International Medical Aliyah Program in partnership with the ministries of Aliyah and Integration, Health, Negev, Galilee and The Jewish Agency," said Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Nefesh B’Nefesh. "By streamlining and simplifying the medical licensing process and making it more accessible to physicians considering aliyah, we are removing significant barriers and creating meaningful opportunities for professional and personal integration into Israel's healthcare system. As we look to 2026, this initiative will continue to demonstrate that effective collaboration between the public and nonprofit sectors is essential to addressing Israel’s national challenges."
