The police arrested Wednesday an illegal Romanian worker who was employed by a contractor hired by the government for renovation works at its Rishon Lezion offices.
Interior Ministry inspectors caught the man during a visit to a complex in the city that houses offices for a number of government ministries.
The arrest is an embarrassment for the government as it comes at a time when it is intensifying its campaign against illegal workers in the country.
The 40-year-old has been staying in Israel illegally since January 2007 after a work permit issued for him in 2001 expired.
The police said the man will be expelled from Israel after a hearing on his case.
The Interior Ministry said the government office that hired the man will be fined.