The United States Department of State has reinstated Israel to Tier 1, its highest ranking, in the 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, reversing a five-year period during which Israel was classified as Tier 2. The report, published on Thursday, evaluates government efforts from April 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026.

According to the report, Israel fully meets the minimum standards set by the U.S. government for combating human trafficking. Notable achievements during the reporting period included a significant increase in investigations and prosecutions. Israeli police launched 42 new trafficking investigations in 2025, more than doubling the 20 investigations recorded in 2024. Of these, 33 involved sex trafficking cases and nine involved forced labor. Prosecutors filed charges against 19 suspected traffickers, up from 13 the previous year.

The report also highlights a key February 2026 indictment against an employer accused of forcing numerous foreign workers into labor, marking the first such indictment in over ten years. Despite these advances, the report raised concerns about judicial outcomes, noting that convictions fell to six in 2025 from 11 in 2024, with no convictions for forced labor cases. Of the nine sentences handed down, five included prison terms of a year or more. The U.S. State Department concluded that Israel had yet to effectively hold labor traffickers criminally accountable.

The government formally recognized 90 trafficking victims in 2025, a decrease from 115 in 2024. However, the report credits Israel with formalizing procedures for identifying Palestinian victims, increasing funding for victim services, and expanding labor inspections. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) cited in the report, however, criticized the government for maintaining a high threshold of evidence in victim recognition, which sometimes requires third-party witnesses and can retraumatize applicants. NGOs also pointed to the under-recognition of foreign and Palestinian victims and noted that assistance is often difficult to access outside Tel Aviv.

The report additionally warned that Israel’s growing reliance on private recruitment agencies for foreign workers has contributed to heightened risks of exploitation and debt bondage. A government-commissioned study referenced in the report found that 73% of surveyed construction workers recruited privately had paid over $4,000 in recruitment fees, and around 20% reported confiscation of passports or documents by employers. NGO sources indicated some foreign workers had been charged illegal fees exceeding $25,000.

Enforcement efforts against trafficking related to prostitution and victim protection continue to face shortcomings. A separate State Comptroller report released in July found that only 44% of police intelligence related to trafficking was acted upon in 2024, and described law enforcement and victim services as inadequate and incomplete.

Under the U.S. Department of State classification system, Tier 1 indicates full compliance with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s minimum standards, which focus on government efforts to address trafficking rather than the scope of the problem itself. Israel had maintained a Tier 1 ranking from 2012 to 2020 before being downgraded in 2021 due to concerns about inconsistent enforcement.

Following the report’s release, Israel’s Justice Ministry welcomed the upgrade, emphasizing improvements in investigations, victim services, labor inspections, and the creation of specialized units for prosecution and police work. Justice Minister Yariv Levin described the ranking as “full recognition of Israel’s status as one of the world’s leading countries in the fight against human trafficking,” and expressed gratitude to partners working toward combating exploitation and protecting victims.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also praised the decision, posting on social media that he was “proud to see Israel return to Tier 1” and thanking U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, for acknowledging Israel’s efforts. Sa’ar reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to addressing trafficking, protecting victims, and prosecuting offenders.