Israel new immigrant and returning resident 10-year tax exemption on foreign income and gains.
Written by the OpenAccountants team. Written by the OpenAccountants team from the official sources it cites.
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Every figure is drawn from this Guide and cited to its source.
New immigrant (עולה חדש / oleh)
Any person who becomes an Israeli resident for the first time (immigrates to Israel).
Returning resident (תושב חוזר)
An Israeli citizen or former resident who: Was a non-resident of Israel for at least 10 consecutive years, AND Returns to reside in Israel
Senior returning resident
A 'senior returning resident' (absent for 6+ years but less than 10) gets a shorter 5-year exemption on foreign income.
Automatic exemption
The exemption is **automatic** — no election or filing is required to benefit from it. New immigrants and qualifying returning residents simply do not report their foreign income on their Israeli tax return during the exemption period.
Election to be taxed
Alternatively, the individual can **elect to be taxed** on foreign income (useful if they want to use foreign tax credits against Israeli tax, or for other reasons). This election is irrevocable once made.
Rendered from the canonical facts model. General reference only — confirm with a qualified professional before acting.
Quick reference
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Exemption period | 10 years from the date of becoming an Israeli tax resident |
| Who qualifies | New immigrants (olim) and returning residents (who were non-resident for ≥ 10 years) |
| Foreign income covered | Exempt from Israeli tax for 10 years |
| Foreign capital gains | Exempt from Israeli tax for 10 years |
| Israeli-source income | Taxed in the normal way from day one |
| Legislation | Income Tax Ordinance (ITO), §14(a) and §97(b) |
| Tax authority | Israel Tax Authority (ITA) — taxes.gov.il |
What the exemption covers
| Income type | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Foreign employment income (salary from non-Israeli employer) | Exempt |
| Foreign business income | Exempt |
| Foreign dividends and interest | Exempt |
| Foreign capital gains (shares, property abroad) | Exempt |
| Foreign rental income | Exempt |
| Israeli-source income (salary from Israeli employer, Israeli business) | Taxed normally |
| Israeli capital gains | Taxed normally |
For the full 10-year period from the date of immigration/return:
Israeli employer payroll: if you work for an Israeli employer, your salary is Israeli-source income — taxed at normal rates regardless of the exemption.
Foreign company salary paid abroad: if you work for a non-Israeli company and are paid into a foreign account, this is foreign-source and exempt.
Capital gains: sell foreign shares during the exemption period → exempt. Sell Israeli shares or Israeli real property → taxed normally.
Trusts and foundations: foreign trusts and foundations held by new immigrants also receive special treatment during the exemption period.
The 10-year clock: starts on the date of becoming an Israeli tax resident (registration of aliyah / return). Track this date precisely.
Israel capital gains rates (for Israeli-source income)
| Asset type | Rate |
|---|---|
| Listed shares (bought after 1 Jan 2012) | 25% (or 30% if >10% shareholder) |
| Unlisted shares | 25% (or 30% if >10% shareholder) |
| Real property — residential | Complex (betterment levy, linear calculation) |
| Inflation adjustment | Available (reduces the real gain) |
Working paper only. The interaction of the exemption with Israeli payroll (if employed by an Israeli employer) and with trust structures is complex. Have a qualified Israeli CPA (רואה חשבון) review before making employment or asset decisions.
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Other Israel computations in the OpenAccountants Tax Library.
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