Health insurance in Israel.
In Israel, the public system is for residents. If your life is centred there, you join a health fund (kupat holim). If not, you need private cover.
The rules
What Israel asks of you.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Rules change, so the broker confirms them again before you apply.
- Residents have health insurance
Under the State Health Insurance Law, every Israeli resident has health insurance cover.
Source: btl.gov.il - Residents must join a health fund
Residents must register with 1 of the country’s health funds. You choose which one. Each fund must offer the standard health basket set by law.
Source: btl.gov.il - Who is a resident
A resident is a person whose life is centred in Israel. The test looks at your permanent home, where your family lives, where your children go to school, and where you work or study.
Source: btl.gov.il - Non-residents are not covered
A person who is not a resident, such as a foreign worker, is not covered by public health insurance. They can arrange private insurance.
Source: btl.gov.il - Foreign workers: private insurance
A foreign worker who is not a resident is not insured under the State Health Insurance Law. Under the Foreign Workers Law, they have a private medical insurance framework.
Source: btl.gov.il - Residents pay contributions
Residents aged 18 and over pay health insurance contributions to the National Insurance Institute. Even people with no income pay a minimum. Some groups are exempt, including some new immigrants.
Source: btl.gov.il - New immigrants: 6 months free
A new immigrant with no income, or under NIS 688 a month, does not pay health contributions for 6 months from arrival. It can stretch to 12 months while the Ministry of Absorption pays subsistence benefits.
Source: btl.gov.il - Foreign workers: urgent care only by right
A foreign worker also has rights under the Patient’s Rights Law, which do not depend on residency. The National Insurance Institute says these are very limited and cover urgent cases.
Source: btl.gov.il - Hospitals insist on payment
The UK government warns that hospitals in Israel insist on payment and may take legal action to stop you leaving until the bill is paid.
Source: gov.uk
If you are a resident, you join a health fund and get the standard health basket set by law. You pay contributions to the National Insurance Institute. If you are not a resident, public health insurance does not cover you.
Source: btl.gov.ilLocal or international
We compare both. You keep the one that fits.
Public cover depends on being a resident, not on your visa. Until that is clear, a private plan is how you stay covered.
- Local plans
Plans sold in Israel. Often cheaper, sometimes required for your visa. Filed by a broker licensed in Israel.
- International plans
Plans that cover you in Israel and beyond, and stay with you if you move again. Filed by our international broker partner.
What it costs
Published prices in Israel.
List prices from insurers and official schemes. Your quote depends on your age, health and the cover you pick.
- Up to NIS 7,703 a month: 3.23%
On income up to 60% of the average wage, which is NIS 7,703 a month from 1 January 2026, the health contribution is 3.23%.
Source: btl.gov.il - Above that: 5.17%
On the part of income above 60% of the average wage, the rate is 5.17%. Non-workers and students with income pay 5.17% on all of it.
Source: btl.gov.il - No income: NIS 123 a month
A resident with no income at all pays a minimum health contribution of NIS 123 a month, from 1 January 2026.
Source: btl.gov.il
What to look for
Choosing a plan in Israel.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- Are you a resident
Work this out first. If your home, family and work are in Israel, you are likely a resident and must join a fund. If you are only there for a short time, you are likely not.
- Direct payment to hospitals
Israeli hospitals insist on payment and can stop you leaving until you pay. Check the private plan pays the hospital directly.
- Employer cover
Foreign workers should check what the employer’s private policy covers and for how long. Ask for the policy terms in writing.
- What it covers before the fund
If you expect to become a resident, check the private plan runs until your kupat holim membership starts, with no gap.
Step by step
Getting covered in Israel.
- 01Work out if you are a resident. The National Insurance Institute looks at your permanent home, where your family lives, where your children go to school, and where you work or study.
- 02Not a resident: get the private policy. A foreign worker is covered through private medical insurance under the Foreign Workers Law. Ask your employer for the policy and keep a copy.
- 03Resident: pick a kupat holim. Register with 1 of the health funds. You choose which one, and each must give you the same standard health basket.
- 04Pay your health contribution. An employer takes it from your salary. If you are self-employed or not working, you pay the National Insurance Institute directly.
- 05New immigrant: use the 6 month exemption. With no income or under NIS 688 a month, you pay nothing for the first 6 months after arrival.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Thinking a work visa makes you a resident. The test is where your life is centred.
- 02Staying without cover while you wait to become a resident.
- 03Not checking what the employer’s private policy leaves out.
Real published prices, and the 6 things that move yours.
Questions
People also ask.
Can foreigners join a kupat holim?+
Residents can and must. A resident is a person whose life is centred in Israel. Non-residents are not covered by public health insurance.
How much is the Israeli health tax?+
Residents pay 3.23% on income up to NIS 7,703 a month and 5.17% above it. With no income you pay NIS 123 a month. Some groups are exempt, including some new immigrants.
Do foreign workers need private insurance?+
Yes. A foreign worker who is not a resident is not covered by the State Health Insurance Law. They have a private medical insurance framework instead.
Can I choose my health fund?+
Yes. Residents choose which fund to join. Each fund must provide the standard health basket set by law.
Other countries
Going somewhere else?
Most UK visas don’t ask for private insurance. You pay a yearly surcharge instead, and it opens the NHS. Here is what the surcharge buys, and what you still pay for.
02AustraliaMost visitors can’t use Medicare, and many visas carry condition 8501. Here is what each visa asks for, who gets Medicare, and what to check.
03Dubai and the UAEIn Dubai, no insurance means no visa. Your employer covers you, but not always your family. Here are the rules, and what the basic plan leaves out.
04PhilippinesThe retiree visa asks for a medical certificate, not a policy. The new nomad visa does ask for cover. Here is what each visa needs, and how PhilHealth works for foreigners.
05NetherlandsIf you live or work in the Netherlands, Dutch basic insurance is the law. A few people are exempt. Here is who must sign up, by when, and what it costs in 2026.
06CanadaEach province runs its own health plan, and some make you wait. The super visa has strict insurance rules. Here is how Ontario and BC differ, and what the super visa needs.
07Saudi ArabiaIn Saudi Arabia, no insurance means no iqama. Your employer pays for you and your family, and visitors need a policy too. Here is who pays, and what each policy covers.
08JapanIf you live in Japan, joining public insurance is the law. A private plan can only sit on top. Digital nomads are the exception.
09GermanyEveryone in Germany must be insured, and a residence permit needs cover equal to the public system. Here is how to choose, and what gets rejected.
10SingaporeThe national plan is for citizens and PRs. Hospital bills for foreigners are high, and families are often left out. Here is what to check.
11ThailandRetirement visas have hard minimums, the DTV has none, and public care is not free for foreigners. Here are the rules, and what to check.
12SpainSpain has the strictest visa insurance rules in Europe: a Spanish-authorised insurer, no co-pays, no waiting periods. Here is what passes.
13MalaysiaPublic hospitals charge foreigners full price, and work schemes only cover injuries at work. Here is what each pass asks for, and what to check.
14QatarMost visitors need a QAR 50 a month policy before Qatar issues a visa. The law covers expats too, but that part is still rolling out. Here are the rules.
15FranceThe public system is open to residents, but not on day 1 if you don’t work, and it only pays part of each bill. Here is how to cover the gaps.
16PortugalThe visa asks for travel medical cover. The public system opens once you are a resident. In between, and after, here is what to check.
17MexicoNo visa asks for it, so many expats skip it. Then a private hospital asks for payment first. Here is how cover really works in Mexico.
18ItalyWorkers join the public system for free. Retirees and nomads need private cover for the visa, then pay at least €2,000 a year to join. Here are the rules.
19South KoreaStay more than 6 months and you must join the national plan. Before that, and for your share of each bill, you need your own cover.
20VietnamOnly long local contracts come with public cover, and most expats use private hospitals anyway. Here is what the rules say, and what to check.
21Bali and IndonesiaMost Indonesian visas don’t ask for insurance. But hospitals ask for payment first, and serious cases fly to Singapore. Here is what to check.
22GreeceThe consulate takes travel cover for the visa. The residence permit then asks for full health cover. If you don’t work for a Greek employer, that means a private plan.
23ColombiaNomads and retirees need a private policy with exact wording. Residents who work must join the public EPS system. Here are the rules.
24Costa RicaResidents must pay into the Caja, whatever private plan they have. Nomads need their own cover for the visa. Here is how it fits together.
25USAThe US has no public plan you can simply join. Some visas set minimum cover. Others leave it to you. Here is what a J-1 needs, who can use the Marketplace, and what plans cost.
26SwitzerlandBasic health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives in Switzerland. You have 3 months to sign up. Here is how it works, and what to check.
27IrelandNon-EEA students must hold private medical insurance. Everyone else gets public care once they count as living in Ireland for 1 year. Here is what to check.
28Dominican RepublicThe residence visas for retirees and rentistas ask for a medical certificate, not an insurance policy. Public care is limited. Private care is good but costly.
29New ZealandStudent visas require insurance. A work visa of 2 years or more may open public health care. ACC covers accident injuries. Here is what to check.
31Hong KongPublic hospitals in Hong Kong are cheap for eligible persons. Many foreigners are not on that list. Here is who is, what the rest pay, and what to check in a plan.
32ChinaIf you work in China on an employment permit, your employer must enrol you in social insurance. That includes basic medical cover. Here is how it works, and what to check on top.
33ArgentinaEmergency care is open to everyone. For other care at national hospitals, foreigners without permanent residence must show insurance or pay first. The rules are new, so check them.
34IndiaWe found no official rule that ties health insurance to an Indian work visa. We also could not confirm a public scheme for foreign residents. So the plan is yours to choose. Here is what to check.
35TurkeyA residence permit application needs valid health insurance for the whole permit. Most new expats buy a private policy. The public SGK system opens later, after 1 year of residence.
36BrazilThe digital nomad visa needs health insurance valid in Brazil. The public system is open to migrants by law. Many expats add a private plan for speed.
37PanamaThe Pensionado visa asks for a health certificate, not an insurance policy. The public system is tied to the Caja. Private care is the main option for most expats.
38South AfricaStudy and exchange visas ask for proof of cover from a registered medical scheme. Public clinics offer free primary care. Here is what to check.
39KenyaKenya’s public fund is run by the Social Health Authority (SHA). A foreigner who lives in Kenya for more than 12 months pays into it. Shorter stays need travel health insurance instead.
40TaiwanTaiwan has one national health insurance. Foreigners with a residence certificate can join. If you have a job, you join through your employer. If not, there is a wait.