Malawian Farm Workers in Israel Face Low Wages and Harsh Conditions

Southern Israel - Malawian farm workers in southern Israel are facing severe wage disparities and challenging working conditions, leading some to abandon their jobs in search of better opportunities. Benzani, a Malawian worker, highlighted the stark differences between the promised and actual pay, prompting a dozen of his compatriots to leave their farm work, subsequently resulting in their arrest for breaching visa conditions.

Last year, hundreds of Malawians traveled to Israel to fill a labor shortage on farms caused by the departure of many workers following the onset of conflict with Hamas in October.

Despite the high expectations, Benzani and his colleagues report significant discrepancies in their compensation. "The minimum wage in Israel is 32 shekels ($8.60; £6.85) an hour, but some of us are being paid 18 to 20 shekels an hour," Benzani told the BBC. He also mentioned that the contracts signed promised a monthly wage of $1,500, a commitment that has not been met.

The issue of inadequate pay is widespread among the Malawian workers, with Benzani estimating that "70 to 80% of us from Malawi are having these problems with payment."

His testimony is corroborated by another worker, Alex Machili, who also reported receiving less than the minimum wage, pushing many to seek employment outside the agricultural sector and beyond the restrictions of their visas.

Both workers have raised their concerns with their recruitment agencies, yet they have received no substantial responses or solutions. Alex expressed his frustration, stating, "The contract is just a useless [piece of] paper here."

The Israel embassy in Malawi has not yet responded to the allegations. This situation underscores the vulnerabilities of migrant workers in foreign labor markets, particularly when legal and contractual protections are not adequately enforced.