The weeks before you leave Sri Lanka can feel like a rush. There is a lot to organise, a lot of people giving you different advice, and real pressure to get everything right. Workers who arrive prepared — documents in order, employer confirmed, first night sorted — start from a position of safety. Workers who arrive uncertain often face avoidable problems in the first 48 hours that take weeks to untangle.
This guide covers what to carry, what to confirm before you leave, and what to do if something does not look right when you land. Going through this list once before your flight can save you weeks of stress later.
Part 1: What to Carry on the Plane – Not in Your Checked Luggage
| ⚠ IMPORTANT |
| Everything in this section should be in your carry-on bag – the one that stays with you on the plane. If your checked luggage is lost or delayed, you must still be able to enter Israel and show your documents at immigration. |
- Passport – valid for at least 6 months beyond your expected stay in Israel
- Israeli B/1 work visa – already stamped inside your passport before you depart
- Copy of your employment permit (heter ha’asaka) – your agency or recruiter should provide this
- A copy of your signed employment contract
- Your health insurance policy or confirmation letter
- Your employer’s name, address and Israeli phone number – written on paper, not only saved on your phone
- Your agency’s contact name and Israeli phone number
- Sri Lankan Embassy in Israel: 1 Ben Gorion Street, Bnei Brak | +972-3-527-7635
- Foreign Workers Hotline: 1-800-354-554
- One emergency contact in Sri Lanka who can be reached at any time of day
Part 2: Seven Questions to Confirm With Your Employer Before You Leave
Before you board, you should have written answers – by WhatsApp, email or SMS – to all of these:
| 1 | Who will meet me at Ben Gurion Airport? What is their name and phone number? |
| 2 | Where will I sleep on the first night? Give me the exact address. |
| 3 | Who is my employer? What is their home or office address in Israel? |
| 4 | What sector is my permit for, and what type of work will I be doing? |
| 5 | Has my employment permit been officially filed with PIBA? Can I have a copy or a photo of it? |
| 6 | What is my start date? Who do I call if something goes wrong on arrival? |
| 7 | Is my health insurance active from day one – the day I arrive? |
| ⚠ IMPORTANT |
| If you cannot get clear, written answers to these questions before you travel – that is a warning sign. Do not get on a plane to Israel without knowing who is meeting you and where you will sleep. Workers who arrive not knowing these things are much more vulnerable to being taken advantage of. |
Part 3: Practical Preparations in Sri Lanka
Back up your documents digitally
Before you leave, photograph every important document and save them in Google Drive or Gmail. Share access with one family member you trust. If anything happens to your phone or bag after you land, you still have everything.
Bring some cash
Arrive with at least 200-300 USD in cash (or the equivalent in NIS if you can get it). There are money changers and ATMs at Ben Gurion Airport, but queues can be long and exchange rates at the airport are not always good. Your first few days may involve transport and small expenses before your salary arrangement is set up.
Get an Israeli SIM card quickly
You can buy an Israeli SIM card at the airport as soon as you land – Pelephone, Partner and HOT Mobile all have counters in the arrivals area. A basic SIM with calls and data costs roughly 50-80 NIS. Having an Israeli number from day one makes it much easier to stay in contact with your employer and agency.
A few words of Hebrew go a long way
You do not need to speak Hebrew to work in Israel. But learning five or ten basic words before you arrive – especially if you will be working in caregiving – helps you feel more settled and shows respect. LankaConnect will publish a basic Hebrew phrase guide for workers in a separate article.
Part 4: At Ben Gurion Airport
When you arrive, an immigration officer will check your passport and visa. They may ask a few questions:
- Why are you coming to Israel?
- Who is your employer?
- Where will you be living?
- How long are you planning to stay?
Answer honestly and calmly. Have your employment permit ready to show if asked. Do not say you are coming as a tourist when you are coming to work.
| ⚠ IMPORTANT |
| If anything at the airport does not match what you were told in Sri Lanka – the name of the person meeting you is different, you do not recognise the address, or the employer details do not match your permit – do not leave the arrivals hall before calling the Foreign Workers Hotline (1-800-354-554) or the Sri Lankan Embassy (+972-3-527-2791). It is much harder to resolve these problems once you are outside the airport. |
| ✓ QUICK TIP |
| If you are taken aside for additional questioning (called secondary – it happens to many workers and does not mean you are in trouble), stay calm. Ask whether a Tamil or Sinhala speaker is available. If there is a serious problem, you have the right to contact the Sri Lankan Embassy. |
Before You Board: Quick Checklist
| Ready to Travel? |
| Go through this before your flight leaves: Passport valid for 6+ months from arrival B/1 visa stamped in your passport Copy of employment permit in carry-on bag Employer name, address and phone confirmed in writing Name and phone of the person meeting you at the airport – confirmed First night accommodation address confirmed Emergency contact in Israel identified All documents backed up digitally Cash (200-300 USD equivalent) in carry-on bag Embassy and Foreign Workers Hotline numbers written on paper |
| Have a question about this? |
| Still not sure? Ask the Expert. I am about to travel and I am not sure if my documents are in order. Can someone check my situation before I leave Sri Lanka? The LankaConnect Ask the Expert corner is here for exactly these questions. Real answers, in Sinhala or English, from people who understand the Israeli system. Go to: LankaConnect.com/ask-the-expert |
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