JERUSALEM, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli government approved on Sunday a quota of 2,000 foreign industry workers, who will be paid by their new employers at a wage of at least 130 percent of the average level in Israel.

Average salary in Israel is 10,140 new shekels (2,727 U.S. dollars), so the new foreign workers will be paid at least 13,182 new shekels a month.

The purpose of the decision is to provide a solution to the shortage of professional manpower in Israeli industry, as well as to motivate Israeli workers to join.

The foreign workers will support the high demand in the industry, and are expected to help expand existing factories while creating additional jobs for Israeli workers.

According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, there are thousands of jobs available for workers in a variety of sectors.

The shortage of industrial workers is expected to be further exacerbated by the retirement from the labor market of immigrants from the former Soviet Union during the early 1990s. These workers constitute a significant part of the workforce currently skilled in manufacturing.