The Center for Absorption in Science helps employers during the initial absorption of the immigrant scientist or the returning resident scientist in the job.

The assistance will be given in the form of participation in funding the cost of employing the scientist in R&D work.

Conditions for Receiving Assistance

 The scientist fulfills the definition of "scientist"

 The scientist will be employed in research and/or development work.

 The employer will complement government assistance up to the minimum costs, as determined and updated every fiscal year.

 Assistance will be given only for scientific work done in Israel.

 It is not possible to receive double governmental assistance for the funding of a scientist’s salary.

 In the public sector (including institutions of higher education) assistance is not available for scientists that are employed in a standard position (e.g. given a “teken”).

Assistance

Employment costs that are recognized by the Center for Absorption in Science include the gross salary of the scientist, plus costs obligatory by law (income tax, employers' tax, compensation fund, employers' part of National Insurance) as well as social benefits deposited on behalf of the worker (travel costs, pension/managers fund, study fund).


Listed below are the minimum sums of assistance and participation required from employers:

a. Employment of Scientist as Part

b. Post-Doctorate

A two-year scholarship. Sum of the annual scholarship from the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption is NIS 30,780 in exchange of at least NIS 30,780 supplemented by the Employer.

The second year may be split into two years in which the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and the Employer will participate in funding the scholarship at NIS 19,440 each.

In addition, one-time assistance may be approved for research expenses in the following areas:

Purchase of equipment.

Materials and other expenses involved in research by the immigrant scientist.
The level of assistance for industry is a sum of up to NIS 7,340 and for a public institution (university, college, hospital, association) up to NIS 5,500.

Approval Process
 
Approval for this assistance is granted by a ministerial committee that convenes once every two weeks and takes into account the recommendation of the Director in the Center of Absorption in Science.
 
This committee approves assistance for one year only. Extensions of the assistance for an additional year requires the filing of an application and a committee decision every year.

Based on the approval of the committee, a contract is signed between the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and the employer.


Processing the Request for Assistance
 
An employer who is interested in receiving assistance from the Center for Absorption in Science as government participation in the immigrant/returning resident scientist's employment in scientific work in Israel, must register as a beneficiary of the General Auditor of the Ministry of Finance. In order to do this, an assistance application form must be attached: 

a.  Letter of approval from the Registrar of Companies/Registrar of Non-Profit Organizations.

b. Valid authorization of legal bookkeeping (from the Income Tax Authorities).

c. "Registered Business" certificate and valid authorization of tax reporting as required by law.

d. Financial documents: in order for the committee to make a decision concerning the ability of the employer to cover his financial commitment during the period of assistance and absorb the scientist after assistance has ended, the employer must present updated financial documents to verify this.

The request for assistance must be sent tothe Center for Absorption in Science in the field compatible with the academic certification of the scientist that the institution wishes to begin to employ.

The request is evaluated by the head of that field and professional counselors at the Center; who will also visit the company and meet with the employer requesting assistance and the scientist.

The request will be discussed at the interministerial committee for assistance approval at the Center for Absorption in Science.

Take Note:
If the signed contract is not returned within 60 days of being sent, or 30 days after the warning, the committee's decision will be annulled. 
 
Payments 
Payments will be made every 4 months based on the employer's expense report.


There is a possibility of advance payment in the following cases:

a. The employer is the government, an institution of higher education, a college recognized by the Ministry of Labor and Welfare, a municipality, local/regional authority or hospital.

b. An employer who is not included in the above categories will attach a bank guarantee for the sum of the advance payment for the period of the contract.

The advance payment will be deducted from the ongoing payments during the period of the contract.

The advance payment will be transferred after signing the contract and registering the financial obligations.

Payment of participation in the research costs:
 
 Payment of the participation in research costs will be transferred based on reports and suitable receipts.
 Payment for research costs to the universities will be transferred without the need for reporting and receipts.
 For employers who are obligated by a guarantee on advance payment, payment for research costs will be made only on receipt of a bank guarantee. 
 

Report of the Employer to the Center for Absorption in Science
 
The transfer of the balance at the end of the period of the contract will depend on a professional report by the employer to the Center, in addition to transfer of financial reports.

If the professional report was not received within 60 days following the termination of the scientist's employment, the Center's obligation is nullified.

In cases where a professional report is received, but a summarizing financial report was not received at least 90 days from the end of the period of assistance, the Center will inform the employer of the termination of the assistance or the extension thereof.