The iSavta Team | 13.11.2019

Yes in Israel there is a time frame for a foreign worker to work with a valid visa. There is a law and it is neutral. Yet we know there are many undocumented foreign workers working illegally wherever they can find work and for sure it is not a comfortable situation.

What can you do to avoid ending up working illegally in Israel?

When is your plan to go home for good?

 In another 2 years? 3 years? 10 years?

 When your kids finish school. What if your kids are still in the kindergarten?

When you have enough money. How much is enough money?                                                                                      

How long is long enough working as a foreign worker?

No doubt Israel is an accommodating country to foreign economic migrant workers as we are free to practice our own religion and cultures. Pork is no problem. You can wear the tiniest shorts and crop top with no fear of discrimination. Except for the loud sirens and the constant threat of bombs and terrorist, I myself is enjoying my stay in Israel.

In a nutshell, we foreign workers are poor people from poor countries which has shortage of economic opportunity. To work as foreign workers in a rich country is what we thought the solution.

Yet somehow the solution of working outside our country isn’t working or else we would all be financially successful.

Perhaps because we have no guidance? Our own culture and beliefs working against us?  For us Filipinos, it is a common habit to splurge out the last cents we have on holidays and special days. To support the whole family is an obligation that is passively accepted..

After watching the behavior of undocumented fellow foreign workers, I came up with this acronym PLANS.

P- Plan. We always KNEW we have less than 5 legal working years plus any extensions.

Accomplish the most significant plans within this 5 years so if you lose your valid working visa, there is no compelling reason why you need to work illegally and hiding like a rat from the immigration police.

Plan with detailed precision because the mind has an enormous capacity of trying to forget anything that relates to uncomfortable and painful feelings. Feelings like “I deserve to..” and “I feel guilty...”. Then it becomes a cycle until too late.

Automate your financial plans. Like i said, the mind has an enormous capacity to put up blocks against pain. Denying yourself buying that new pair of shoes is pain.

L- Love the life you can afford. There is no satisfaction on living a lie. The lie of living a lifestyle you can’t afford.

A- Achieve small minuscule steps. Drops of water can fill a cup. Do not try to take the ‘shortcut” way.  The road of financial shortcuts are littered with skulls.

N- No to negative thinking. Learn to say NO to family and other people, NO to things and ideas that won’t benefit you in the long run.

S- Search for knowledge. Always. You will meet interesting people on your journey.

“Look and you will find- what is unsought will not be undetected” (Sophocles).