New rules will come into force in Georgia, which will abolish the possibility to work without a permit for citizens of visa-free countries. From 2026, legal employment will require a work permit and a corresponding residence permit, the Serbian Economist’s Telegram channel reported.
The country’s parliament adopted amendments to the laws “on labour migration” and “on the legal status of foreigners” on June 26. Now any foreigner who does not have a permanent residence permit will be obliged to obtain a work permit, even if he entered the country under a visa-free regime.
The main changes
– The visa-free regime will no longer give the right to work – it only applies to entry and short-term stay.* The concepts of “labour migrant” and “self-employed foreigner” will be introduced – both categories must obtain a permit.* Employers are obliged to issue documents for foreign employees before they officially go to work.
Who will be affected by the innovation?
According to Geostat, less than 3,800 labour migrants were officially registered in 2015-2023, while the actual number of foreigners working in the country is much higher – in 2022-2023 alone there were more than 239,000 foreigners in Georgia. Many of them worked illegally.
The biggest impact of the changes will be on citizens of:
– Russia – according to various estimates, between 80,000 and 120,000 Russians live in Georgia, a significant proportion of whom work remotely or in the service sector without formal permits;- Georgia’s neighbours (Armenia, Azerbaijan);- Ukraine;- Middle East;- South Asia;- some countries in Europe and Latin America.
For Russians, who have become one of the largest groups of foreigners in Georgia after 2022, the new rules may lead to the need for mass registration of labour permits. Otherwise, there is a risk of fines and inability to continue activities.
The reform is aimed at legalising the labour market and protecting the rights of Georgian citizens. It closes a loophole allowing foreigners to work under a visa-free regime and creates a new legal framework for tens of thousands of people. This will particularly affect citizens of the Russian Federation and CIS countries, who in recent years have formed the main core of foreign presence in Georgia’s economy.