The law for foreign nationals working in Georgia changed on March 1, 2026. According to Decree No. 70 On Granting the Right to Work to Labor Migrants and Self-employed Foreigners dated February 20, 2026, being in Georgia under the existing visa-free regime no longer confers the right to work or conduct business.
The right to work is now classified as a separate administrative category requiring official confirmation from the Ministry of Labor.
Who is not affected by the new law
Based on the original law, clarifications from the Ministry of Labor, and exceptions to the amendments of April 15, 2026, a work permit is not required for:
- Remote employees and digital nomads who work from within Georgia for a foreign company conducting business outside Georgia or who work from outside Georgia for a Georgian employer.
- Directors and managers of Category 1, 2, or 3 companies.
- Participants in short-term projects arriving for one-time professional activities (lecturers, artists, consultants).
- Passive business participants — founders, partners, and shareholders of companies who do not hold executive positions and are not involved in operational management.
- Holders of permanent residence permits, investment residence permits for investments in the Georgian economy of USD 300,000 or more, employees of diplomatic missions, refugees, asylum seekers, and representatives of international media.
- Property owners (rentiers) who receive income in the country from renting out properties.
- Individual entrepreneurs or directors of companies registered in Georgia who are officially inactive on the Revenue Service portal.
- Public sector employees, cultural heritage specialists, and individuals who have received special permission at the direct initiative of a member of the Georgian government.
Important: A work permit is still required for directors of Category 4 companies (small businesses and most startups).
Everyone else will DEFINITELY need a work permit. This primarily applies to foreign employees of Georgian companies working under a contract and self-employed individuals conducting economic activities in Georgia. The law classifies the latter as sole proprietors, freelancers, and independent contractors (e.g., under civil law contracts) if they reside in Georgia and work for the Georgian market.
Key points of Resolution No. 70
First, the important dates:
- For labor migrants (contract workers) who were registered in the Ministry of Labor’s unified registry as of March 1, 2026, the transition period will last until January 1, 2027—this condition has not changed.
- For new migrant workers and new self-employed individuals who entered the Georgian labor market after March 1, no transition period is provided—they must follow the established regulations.
Now, regarding the most important aspects of the legislation:
- Self-employed foreigners are required to undergo a video interview with representatives of the Employment Agency to obtain the right to work.
- Georgian companies are required to give priority to local employees. Before obtaining a work permit for a foreigner, company managers must post the job opening on worknet.moh.gov.ge and wait 10 days. If no Georgian citizen applies for the position, the company may hire a foreign national.
- Quotas (currently at 0) have been introduced prohibiting foreign nationals from working in the courier services, passenger transport, and as tour guides. A quota of 200 people per year has likewise been established for mountain and ski guides.
- The quotas and 10-day posting requirement do not apply to employees of organizations with international company status, innovative startups, and high-paid specialists (GEL15,000/USD 5,600 per month).
How to obtain a permit for the self-employed
As a reminder, the self-employed include individual entrepreneurs residing in Georgia (including those with small and microbusiness status), freelancers, as well as directors of Georgian Category 4 companies (even if they are also founders).
Self-employed individuals can obtain a work permit independently by submitting an application on the Ministry of Labor’s official website: labourmigration.moh.gov.ge.
1. Submitting your documents
As part of the application, self-employed individuals must upload the following information to the portal:
- Personal information: first and last name in Georgian and English, date of birth, gender, citizenship, and country of origin
- Passport number, issuing authority, date of issue, and a copy of the first pages
- Tax identification number (11 digits), individual entrepreneur ID (often the same as the first), and valid residence permit number (if applicable)
- Information about qualifications: educational degree, profession, work experience, and specific skills (if applicable)
- Description of activity: field of employment, place of work
- Financial justification: Foreign nationals already working in Georgia must provide a certificate from the Revenue Service regarding the annual turnover of the individual entrepreneur or company. Self-employed individuals planning to start working in Georgia must upload a detailed business plan (including an investment plan and projected turnover) and a document confirming financial security
2. Payment of state fees
The work permit is not free. The individual applying must pay the registration fee on the portal when they fill out the information mentioned above and attach a receipt to the application. Payment can be made by credit card.
Standard 30-day processing costs GEL 200 (USD 75), with expedited (10-day) processing GEL 400 (USD 150).
3. The video interview
Before a work permit can be issued, the self-employed must have a video interview with a representative of the Employment Agency after uploading the documents and paying the fee.
The interview is in Georgian or English (an interpreter is permitted) and last just 1-2 minutes. During the interview, you will be asked to hold your passport next to your face and approximately 7-10 simple questions about:
- Your first name, last name, and year of birth
- Your country and city of birth
- How long you’ve been in Georgia and your occupation
- Which bank you have an account with and when it was opened
- How long you’ve been in this business
- Whether you have any Georgian business partners
Important note: The interview will be recorded and attached to the case file.
Please note: If you miss the interview, your application will be canceled, and you may not receive much notice, i.e., you can find out in the evening that it’s been scheduled for the following morning or even the same day.
3. Legalization
Decree No. 70 explicitly states that the work permit takes effect upon the foreign national’s receipt of either a D1 visa, a work residence permit, or a residence permit for those employed in the information technology (IT) sector.
- Foreign nationals outside Georgia must apply to a Georgian embassy or consulate within 30 calendar days to obtain a D1 immigration visa.
- Foreign nationals already in Georgia must apply for a residence permit within 10 calendar days.
- Exceptions apply to self-employed individuals who:
- Conduct their work from abroad: they do not need a work permit, visa, or residence permit.
- Conduct business activities within Georgia but work for a foreign company (located outside Georgia): for this type of work (digital nomads), a work permit is also not required, and a C5 visa is provided instead of a residence permit.
* Important details
Processing time: 10 to 30 days (see above) from the date of the video interview. The Employment Agency may request corrections to inaccuracies or additional documents within the first 10 days. In case of rejection, you’ll have to wait a month before you can try again.
Validity period. According to the general rules, a work permit is initially issued for a period of 6 months to 1 year (starting from the date of issuance of a D1 visa or residence permit). During the first five years, it can be renewed annually for another year, and then for 1-5 years. For specialists working in the IT sector, the initial permit is issued for up to 3 years and is subsequently renewed in the same manner.
Grounds for early revocation of the right to work. The permit is revoked if the individual leaves Georgia for more than 6 consecutive months or is found not to be employed in the position or field for which he or she originally applied.
Special rules for obtaining a special IT residence permit. Specialists must have at least 2 years of work experience in the IT sector and a verified regular annual income of at least USD 25,000 (with at least two deposits made at least 30 days apart).
How to obtain a permit as a migrant worker
For migrant workers (contract employees), the work permit is obtained by the local employer—again through the single portal labourmigration.moh.gov.ge.
At the same time, foreigners employed in Georgia under a contract and working from another country are not required to obtain a D1 work visa and a residence permit. We will write more about this later.
For new employees hired by a Georgian company after March 1, 2026, the procedures in this section must be initiated immediately. However, if an employee is already working and the organization has registered them in the migrant worker registry before the specified date, a transition period is granted until January 1, 2027
1. Checking the local labor market
Before hiring a foreign national, a Georgian company must try to find a Georgian to fill the position by:
- Posting the vacancy on www.worknet.moh.gov.ge (Labor Market Management Information System)
- Waiting for at least 10 business days
- Waiting for the Employment Agency to review candidates in search of a suitable local resident they can propose to the employer
- Providing a reason, within three days in writing, for not liking the Employment Agency’s proposed candidate, which the Agency will then review within another three business days
If the Employment Agency is unable to propose suitable candidates within 10 days or the candidates are deemed unsuitable, the employer may apply for a migrant worker.
Please note that the 10-day job posting requirement does not apply to employees of organizations with international company status, innovative startups, and highly paid specialists with a salary of GEL 15,000/month (approximately USD 5,600). If this describes you, you can proceed directly to submitting your application.
2. Submitting an official application
The employer must upload the following to the portal:
- Information about the employer, including the official name, ID (for JSC and LLC) or personal number (sole proprietorship), legal and actual addresses, field of activity, and contact information (email, phone number)
- fInformation about the employee responsible for submitting the application, including first and last name in English and Georgian, personal number, position (e.g., director or HR specialist), and contact details
- Information about the migrant worker, including first and last name in English and Georgian, date of birth, gender, citizenship, country of origin, passport information, and a copy of the foreign passport with the main pages
- Requirements for the position: a description of job duties, the required level of education, and work experience
- Confirmation of the migrant’s qualifications: documents confirming the foreign national’s education, certificates, and documents confirming their work experience in the field of activity
- A copy of the employment contract signed by all parties involved and bearing the dates of conclusion, entry into force, and termination
- Confirmation of the application form with a qualified electronic signature or electronic stamp
3. Payment of the fee and waiting period
In addition to the application, you must attach a receipt showing you’ve paid to have your documents reviewed. The fee is the same as for self-employed persons: standard review within 30 calendar days — GEL 200 (USD 75), expedited review within 10 working days — GEL 400 (USD 150). You can pay directly on the website with your bank card.
After that, the Agency will check the documents and the migrant’s qualifications against market needs. If officials find any inaccuracies, the employer will have 10 calendar days to correct them. The decision (granting or denying the right to work) will be sent to the employer electronically.
4. Legalization of migrants
To reiterate, the work permit takes effect upon the foreign national’s receipt of a D1 visa, a work residence permit, or an IT sector residence permit.
- Foreign nationals outside Georgia must apply to a Georgian embassy or consulate within 30 calendar days to obtain a D1 immigration visa.
- Foreign nationals already in Georgia must apply for a residence permit within 10 calendar days in person at the House of Justice.
* Important details
Processing time: 10 to 30 days (see above) from the date of submission of the application and all required documents. The Employment Agency may request clarifications or additional documents within the first 10 days.
Validity period: According to the general rules, a work permit is initially issued for a period of 6 months to 1 year (starting from the date of issuance of a D1 visa or residence permit). During the first five years, it can be renewed annually for another year, and then for 1-5 years. For specialists working in the IT sector, the initial permit is issued for a period of up to 3 years and is subsequently renewed in the same way.
The employer is required to submit an application for renewal of the permit no later than 30 calendar days before the expiry of the current document. When renewing, all information about the migrant and working conditions must be updated.
Grounds for revoking the right to work:
- The foreign national is denied a residence permit or visa
- The employment contract is terminated, of which the employer is required to notify the Agency within five calendar days to avoid a fine
- Monitoring reveals the foreign national is not working in the specified position. Work permits for migrant workers are issued for a specific position at a specific company, meaning you need a new permit for a new job
- If an employee works in Georgia but leaves the country for more than 6 consecutive months
Quotas: Georgian organizations should keep in mind that a permit will not be issued if the migrant’s profession falls under established annual quotas and/or those quotas have already been exhausted. The 2026 quotas for couriers, taxi drivers, and tour guides are at 0, meaning employment is effectively prohibited. For mountain guides, the quota is 200 people per year.
Residence permit requirements
A work permit is not needed for the head or employee of a local company who lives abroad unless they decide to enter Georgia and work here.
It is expected that foreigners will receive one of two types of residence permits: a work permit or a permit for IT specialists.
- Requirements for a residence permit for IT specialists: proof of at least two years of work experience and an annual salary of at least USD 25,000 (or the equivalent in lari)
- To obtain a standard work residence permit, the following documents must be submitted to the House of Justice:
| For labor migrants | For self-employed individuals |
| Contract with employer | Certificate of registration as a self-employed person |
| A certificate confirming that the foreigner’s salary is at least five times the minimum subsistence level in Georgia—approximately GEL 1,500 (USD 550)/month | Certificate confirming that the foreigner’s salary is at least five times the minimum subsistence level in Georgia—approximately GEL 1,500 (USD 550)/month |
| The company’s turnover must be at least GEL 50,000 (USD 18,500) per foreign employee on staff. For educational and medical organizations, the threshold is reduced to GEL 35,000 (USD 13,000). | The turnover of an individual entrepreneur must be at least GEL 50,000 (USD 18,500) |
Conclusion
Employment regulations in Georgia have become significantly stricter, with the government moving to control labor migration more effectively.
After May 1, working without an official permit will be punishable by a fine of GEL 2,000 for both the individual and employer. For a repeat violation, the fine will increase to GEL 4,000, with 12,000 for subsequent violations.
It is important to understand that the databases of the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Justice are now fully synchronized. If your name is not in the Ministry of Labor’s registry, your application for a residence permit will be denied. Employees who were working under a contract prior to early March may complete their legalization by January 1, 2027, but all new staff are required to register under the new rules immediately.
If you are an employer or a self-employed individual and need help understanding the law, preparing documents for a work permit, or getting a residence permit, contact PB Services for a free consultation.