Average wage up 0.3% to NIS 7,179 in November 2005 
 
26% of wage earners, or 656,000 people, earned an average gross 
salary of NIS 1,945. IEC and Mekorot staff earned an average 
NIS 16,160 wage. 
 
Zeev Klein    
Globes
February 6, 2006
 
The average national gross salary of 2.48 million Israeli wage earners 
rose by 0.3%, or NIS 25, in November 2005, to NIS 7,179, the Central 
Bureau of Statistics reported today. The rise in the average salary in 
November followed a drop of 6%, or NIS 449, in October, compared 
with September. 26% of wage earners, 656,000 people, earned an 
average gross salary of NIS 1,945, 73% less than the average national 
salary, and 42% below the minimum wage of NIS 3,335 a month. 

176,000 wage earners earned an average gross salary of NIS 7,214, 
0.5% above the average national salary. 

66% of wage earners earned an average gross salary of NIS 9,263, 
29% above the average national salary. 110,000 wage earners held 
a second job; counting the extra pay, but only one job per person, 
the average national gross salary was NIS 7,511. 

The highest average gross salary was paid in the electricity and water 
sectors: Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) and Mekorot National Water 
Company employees earned an average of NIS 16,160, 2.25 times 
the national average salary. The salaries of IEC and Mekorot employees 
rose by 5.7% in November, an average increase of NIS 875 per 
employee, compared with October. 

The lowest average gross salary was paid in the accommodation and 
catering sector: NIS 3,531, 51% below the average national salary. 
The average gross salary in agriculture was NIS 4,785. 

The average gross salary of 61,600 foreign workers was NIS 4,078, 
43% below the average national salary. There were 9,700 Palestinian 
workers in Israel. Altogether, there were 2.55 million Israeli, foreign 
and Palestinian salaried employees in November with an average 
gross salary of NIS 7,083.