Amendments to the Law of Georgia “On Labor Migration” Entered into Force on March 1, 2026
According to the amendments, the employment or self-employment of foreign citizens in Georgia will only be permitted in compliance with the relevant regulations. In order for a foreign citizen to legally work or carry out labor or entrepreneurial activities, including remote work, it will be necessary to obtain a “Right to Work” permit.
If a migrant does not possess any type of residence permit at the time of submitting the application, after obtaining the Right to Work permit they will need to obtain a D1 category immigration visa and/or a labor residence permit.
Permits granting the Right to Work for foreign citizens will be issued by the State Employment Promotion Agency. The process of obtaining the permit is fully electronic. Obtaining the permit is subject to a fee, which depends on the processing time of the service.
According to the Law on Labor Migration, businesses are required, before employing a foreign citizen, to publish the vacancy for at least 10 working days in the labor market management information system Worknet.moh.gov.ge.
If a suitably qualified local candidate cannot be found within this period, only then will the employer be allowed to submit an application to employ a foreign citizen through the special electronic labor migration system. According to the law, the employer is responsible for paying the permit fee.
The Right to Work permit is issued for a specific position and a specific employer for a period of up to one year.
Regarding self-employed foreign citizens, they must submit the electronic application themselves and pay the relevant fee in order to obtain the Right to Work permit. The permit for self-employed individuals is issued with specification of the relevant field, sector, and entrepreneurial activity.
If a foreign citizen fails to comply with the requirements set out in the Law on Labor Migration, both the employee and the employer may face financial penalties, including fines for self-employed foreign citizens.
For self-employed foreigners who were already operating in Georgia as of March 1, the enforcement mechanism provided by the legislation will take effect starting May 1, 2026.
The new regulations are largely aligned with European Union standards. Their purpose is to ensure that foreign citizens are employed in Georgia only when it corresponds to the real needs of the labor market and does not restrict the interests of the local workforce.
At the same time, the amendments aim to reduce illegal employment, strengthen control mechanisms, and clearly distribute responsibilities between employers and foreign citizens.