We wrote recently about the momentum flowing into Georgia’s information technology ecosystem at the moment, and international companies and specialists are a contributing factor. Galt & Taggart estimates 75% of the 30,000 employees in the sector to be non-residents and 84% of the 24,000 IT companies to be linked to foreign capital (in contrast, foreigners own only 16% of Georgian businesses in other sectors).
Global IT businesses appear eager to bring their own personnel into the country, though in practice, long-term stays can be difficult to arrange, forcing some skilled workers to pursue careers elsewhere.
That obstacle looks to disappear with the introduction on September 1, 2025, of a new residence permit for IT professionals. PB Services can help you prepare the necessary documents and get a permit — sign up today for a free consultation.
The legal basis for the new residence permit
A temporary residence permit for individuals working in the field of information technology is being introduced through amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons passed in Parliament and signed by the President of Georgia in the summer of 2025.
Part of a package of amendments to the Law On Labor Migrants, which we wrote about earlier, it stipulates that all foreigners who don’t have permanent residence must obtain either a standard or IT work and residence permit by March 1, 2026.
General eligibility for an IT residence permit
The law identifies four eligibility categories for this type of residence permit:
- Managers of international IT companies with branches in Georgia or their authorized representatives.
- Labor migrants, i.e., employees working in IT.
- Individuals who are self-employed (with experience in IT) and registered as individual entrepreneurs with small business status. Individual entrepreneurs making up to GEL 500,000 lari per year (about USD 185,000) pay an income tax of 1%, or 3% if the limit is exceeded.
- The children, spouses, and/or parents of these permit holders.
What makes an IT specialist
The Georgian government must approve a list of professions related to information technology by September 1, 2025 (it has not yet been made publicly available). We will update this article as soon as the list goes up.
We can make some assumptions based on the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-08), the European (ESCO), and the American (O*NET-SOC), where IT specialists include:
- Data analysts
- Network engineers
- IT project managers
- Software and web developers
- Cybersecurity specialists
- User interface (UI/UX) designers
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning engineers
- Testers and technical support engineers
- In fact, foreign classifications contain thousands of professions, so this list is far from exhaustive…
The requirements for obtaining an IT residence permit
There are two requirements. The first is at least two years of experience in IT, and the second is income for the last year of USD 25,000 or the equivalent in another currency (before taxes).
Entirely doable for the IT sector. According to Code Submit, the average global salary of a software developer in 2025 is USD 53,000. At the top end is USD 110,000 in the US of A, and the lowest USD 7,000-8,000 in India and Nigeria. Georgia finds itself close to the global average, with Galt & Taggart previously estimating the average software developer salary in Tbilisi to be around USD 4,000 per month (or USD 48,000 per year).
Non-residents can enter the country on a D1 work visa or under the visa-free regime that applies to citizens of almost 100 jurisdictions. Add a work and residence permit to that in March 2026.
You will need a completed application form and a notarized copy of your passport to apply for a residence permit. Executives of international IT companies need documentation confirming their status. Needless to say, the government may add to the list of requirements at a later date.
How long is the new IT residence permit valid?
Initially, residence permits will be issued for a period of three years, but they can be extended to 12 years, after which they can apply for permanent residence.
An IT residence permit can be revoked if you leave Georgia for 183 days or more within 12 consecutive calendar months, with an exception for travel abroad for medical treatment.
Alternatives to the IT residence permit
If you would like to obtain the right to work in Georgia but do not meet the criteria for the IT sector, there are the following options:
- A five-year investment residence permit with the possibility of conversion to permanent residence that can be obtained by purchasing real estate worth USD 300,000 or more or investing an equivalent amount in the local economy.
- A classic one-year work residence permit that can be renewed annually for up to 12 years (after which you can also apply for permanent residence). Requirements differ for self-employed and salaried employees. Individual entrepreneurs must have an annual turnover of at least GEL 50,000 (USD 18,500) and workers a monthly salary five times the minimum subsistence level, i.e., approximately GEL 1,500 (USD 550).
- There are other types of short-term residence permits in Georgia, but after March 2026, they will no longer grant the right to work.
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To sum up, Georgia’s new IT residence permit is similar to the digital nomad program in the EU with a lower bar at around USD 2,000/month. In the Eurozone, it’s 50-100% higher (as is the cost of living).
If you haven’t settled on an option yet (or have but aren’t sure how to submit the documents correctly), use the form below to contact PB Services. We will take a look at your case and provide a turnkey residence permit service to increase your chances of success.