Foreigners Must Obtain Special Work Permits – What’s Changing in Georgia’s Migration Law? - Fchain

To combat illegal labor migration, the ruling parliament is introducing tighter regulations on the employment of foreign nationals in Georgia.

According to the explanatory note accompanying the draft, under current legislation, employing a foreign citizen in Georgia requires only their registration in the electronic labor migration system, which is completed by the employer. However, the state currently lacks the authority to refuse employment to a foreign national in the interest of protecting the domestic labor market.

“This has led to an influx of unqualified or surplus labor, negatively impacting both the local workforce and overall labor market conditions,” the document states. The draft law proposes the following reforms:

1. Creation and implementation of a special work permit system for foreign employees
2. Definition of clear criteria for issuing work permits
3. Regulation of self-employed foreign workers and those involved in entrepreneurial activity
4.  Introduction of new monitoring and enforcement mechanisms
5. Designation of responsible agencies for enforcement
6. Increased fines for employers hiring foreigners without proper authorization
7. Penalties for unauthorized employment or entrepreneurial activity by foreign nationals

Fines have been established for violations of the rules (2,000 GEL for unauthorized employment and the same amount for employers). The law is expected to take effect on March 1, 2026. Foreigners with active registration in the labor migration system at that time will be required to obtain both a special work permit and an appropriate residence permit by January 1, 2027. The law will not apply retroactively.