A third of recent immigrants are unemployed

More than 40% of Ethiopian newcomers are jobless and more than half of Russians unsatisfied with their job

By Aaron Kalman 24 May 2012, 5:15 pm

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Aaron Kalman is a former writer and breaking news editor for the Times of Israel

Newly arrived Ethiopian immigrants at Ben Gurion Airport in December 2011 (photo credit: Kobi Gideon/Flash90)

Almost a third of the immigrants who moved to Israel since 2002 are unemployed, and of those who are employed only 30 percent work in the jobs they were trained for, according to a report by the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption published on Thursday.

The highest percentage of unemployment was found in the Ethiopian sector, in which 41% of adults are jobless.

Among those who emigrated from Russia the number of people overqualified for their job is extremely high. More than 50% of Russian immigrants said they are either over-educated for their job, or their work experience was from an entirely different field.