Israel Offers African Migrants R59k and Free Flights to Leave by End of 2026

• Israel expanded its voluntary departure programme on 9 November 2026 to include migrants from all African countries, including South Africans
• Eligible migrants who agree to leave by 31 December 2026 qualify for $3,500 in cash and a government-funded flight home
• The Africa-only policy drew sharp criticism online, with many questioning why no other nationalities were included

Israel is offering African migrants, including South Africans, $3,500 in cash and a free flight home if they agree to leave the country voluntarily before the end of 2026.

The expanded departure programme took effect on 9 November 2026 and broadens eligibility to African nationals who have lived in Israel without valid immigration status for more than two years, those holding certain temporary residence permits, and people who entered legally and later overstayed. The last category is notably significant for South Africans, many of whom travel to Israel on Christian pilgrimage visas and choose to remain beyond their permitted stay.

Who qualifies and how the process works

According to reports, applicants can register online or in person. Once approved, they attend an interview and receive up to two weeks of protection from immigration detention while their travel documents are processed. The cash payout and flight are arranged at the airport on the day of departure.

Previously, the grant was largely limited to nationals from Eritrea, Sudan, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, and Guinea, as well as countries without diplomatic ties to Israel. The latest expansion removes those restrictions and opens the scheme to all African nationals.

Israel's Population and Immigration Authority linked the change to a nearly 20% drop in government-assisted departures, which fell from 3,511 in 2024 to 2,815 in 2025. Officials attributed the decline to reduced resettlement options in Canada, stricter US border controls, and disruptions caused by regional conflict. No similar programme has been announced for migrants from Europe, Asia, or the Americas.

A controversial history

The scheme builds on a plan introduced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2018, which collapsed after legal challenges, failed resettlement agreements with Uganda and Rwanda, and sustained criticism from refugee advocacy groups. Those groups argue that Israel deliberately makes life difficult for asylum seekers to pressure them into leaving.

African workers currently contribute to Israel's construction, agriculture, and healthcare industries. The fact that the departure incentive targets only African nationals, with no official explanation offered, drew significant attention online.

Netizens react to the Israeli offer

Social media users had a lot to say on the Instagram post:

@axel_webber wrote:

"As an African why are you even there?"

@jfcw said:

"'Israel has not offered a clear explanation why this only applies to African nationals' 😂😂😂"

@_niklashester posted:

"A P A R T H E I D 🤦‍♂️"

@noluv._01 added:

"'We aren't an apartheid.' Apartheid:"

@thejakeonline asked:

"Why only African?"

@ricardo__nassif wrote:

"'Israel has not offered a clear explanation why this only applies to African nationals.' Haha... Are you f***ing kidding me?"

@rusty.1186 joked:

"Dam... I'm gonna go there now just to get my 3.5k"

@thesuburbangardengirl commented:

"Ain't this some ish, Israel is setting up shop in Kenya. Soon they'll be saying God gave them Kenya 3,000 years ago."

More on South Africans living and travelling abroad

• Briefly News recently reported on an Afrikaner technician in the Netherlands who explained what SA workers need to bring their families over.
• SARS has introduced a new rule for everyone crossing SA’s borders that travellers need to know about.
• The EU is funding a monthly scholarship for South Africans who want to study in Europe in 2027.

Source: Briefly News