9 июля 2026 г., significant amendments were made to the Government of Georgia’s resolution “On the Approval of the Rule for Issuing a Work Permit to a Labor Immigrant and a Self-Employed Foreigner,«О регулировании иностранцев, осуществляющих трудовую и предпринимательскую деятельность в Грузии». Примечательно, the amendments were preceded by consultations between the relevant state authorities and business representatives, and the new revisions have meaningfully refined the balance between, on the one hand, business freedom and, on the other, the promotion of local employment.
1. Exceptions
The resolution now includes exceptional cases to which the obligation to obtain a Work Permit does not apply. Конкретно, this obligation will not extend to a person who:
- holds a valid special residence permit issued on the written initiative of a member of the Government of Georgia;
- carries out activity for the benefit of a public institution or an enterprise founded with state equity participation;
- performs labor activity fully remotely for a local employer, where that activity does not require entry into the territory of Georgia;
- carries out labor activity or provides services for the benefit of a non-resident person, where that labor activity/service relates to the non-resident’s activity outside Georgia — except where the foreigner is an individual entrepreneur who requires a residence permit to lawfully remain in the country;
- performs, in a Category I, II, or III enterprise as defined by the Law of Georgia “On Accounting, Reporting and Auditing,” or in an enterprise identified as a public interest entity (PIE) either under that same law or by the Service based on criteria approved by the Government of Georgia, management or executive functions as provided under the Law of Georgia “On Entrepreneurs,” or serves on an audit committee;
- carries out activity related to the conservation, restoration and/or rehabilitation of a cultural heritage monument;
- is a person who has obtained the right of temporary stay in Georgia under Article 60 of the Law of Georgia “On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons.”
2. The Short-Term Professional Activity Regime
The resolution establishes a new regime — that of a person carrying out so-called “short-term professional activity.” This amendment is significant in that persons who carry out labor (and/or related) activity in Georgia not on a permanent basis, but only for a short period, will not be subject to the mandatory requirement to obtain a Work Permit and the corresponding residence permit. For these purposes, a person’s short-term professional activity in Georgia must not exceed a cumulative total of 4 months within a calendar year.
Before the activity begins, the employer is required to register such person in the dedicated electronic system (www.labourmigration.moh.gov.ge) as a person performing short-term professional activity. This registration is free of charge and does not require confirmation of the company’s turnover or agreement of a labor immigrant quota.
3. Quotas
The new resolution significantly changed the procedure and preconditions for a local employer to hire a foreign immigrant under an employment contract. Whereas previously it was necessary to pass the so-called labor market test (publishing a vacancy announcement on the Agency’s portal and justifying why the employer could not find local personnel), this has now been entirely replaced by a quota system.
Конкретно, if a local employer plans to employ more than 5 foreign nationals during a calendar year, or if the number of foreign nationals exceeds 5% of its total workforce (except where 5% of the total workforce amounts to fewer than 5 people), the employer must, no later than 10 working days before applying for a Work Permit, agree an annual quota with the Agency electronically at www.labourmigration.moh.gov.ge. For this purpose, the employer must submit a document issued by the Revenue Service (a legal entity of public law) confirming that the local employer’s annual turnover (except for educational or medical institutions) is not less than GEL 50,000 per each foreign national for whom a Work Permit is sought, while for educational or medical institutions the required annual turnover is not less than GEL 35,000 per such foreign national.
Другими словами, once an employer’s foreign headcount exceeds 5, it must first agree a quota with the Agency, and only then may it obtain Work Permits for new foreign employees. A procedure is also provided for amending the quota if the employer identifies a need for additional positions.
4. The Turnover Document Requirement for Companies/Sole Traders
Whereas previously a certificate of annual turnover issued by the LEPL Revenue Service was invariably required to obtain a Work Permit, the new resolution introduces certain qualifications to that requirement.
Конкретно, if a company is not registered as a VAT payer, it may now instead submit an appropriate certificate(с) issued by a competent authority/person confirming that the local employer is not registered as a VAT payer and that, over the preceding continuous 12 calendar months, the local employer’s turnover (except for educational or medical institutions) was not less than GEL 50,000 per each foreign national for whom a Work Permit is sought, while for educational or medical institutions the required annual turnover is not less than GEL 35,000 per such foreign national.
Более того, if no more than 3 months have passed since the company/sole trader was established, and it does not employ more than 3 foreign nationals, a Work Permit may be issued without a demonstration of turnover. В таких случаях, the residence permit will likewise be issued without a demonstration of the company’s turnover, but for a limited term of 6 months. This change significantly addresses a gap that newly established enterprises previously faced in achieving compliance with the law.
