Georgia Work Permit Rules for Foreign Nationals in 2026: A Guide for Employers and Entrepreneurs
Updated 23 September 2026. Georgia introduced a right-to-work authorisation for many foreign nationals on 1 March 2026. The rules have since changed, notably in April, June and July. Whether you need authorisation depends on where and for whom you work, your residence status, the nature of your business and any statutory exemption. Registering a Georgian company or individual entrepreneurship does not itself grant a right to work.
This guide explains the Law of Georgia on Labour Migration and Government Ordinance No. 70 of 20 February 2026, as amended through July 2026. It gives general information; a specific activity may require a separate assessment.
In this article
- Who needs the right to work?
- Remote work and foreign clients
- Company founders and directors
- Applications by individual entrepreneurs and freelancers
- Applications by Georgian employers
- Visas and residence permits
- Validity and changes of activity
- Sector quotas and short-term projects
- Transitional dates
- Fines and enforcement
- Frequently asked questions
Who needs the right to work?
As a general rule, a foreign national without Georgian permanent residence needs the right to work when employed by a local employer in Georgia, when working remotely for a local employer from abroad (unless an exemption applies), or when independently carrying out labour or entrepreneurial activity in Georgia for financial benefit. Local employers apply for their foreign employees; self-employed foreign nationals apply personally. A temporary residence permit, a visa-free entry entitlement or a Georgian tax registration does not, by itself, replace the right to work.
The law excludes several categories. These include Georgian permanent residents; recognised refugees and persons with supplementary or temporary protection; registered asylum seekers; holders of a valid investment residence permit; certain diplomatic, consular and international-organisation staff; accredited foreign-media journalists; and persons covered by a different rule under an international treaty. Further exemptions now include specified work for public institutions or state-owned enterprises, qualifying short-term professional activities, certain holders of special residence permits, and qualifying managerial or governing work in category I, II or III enterprises. The category of the company and the precise activity matter. See Article 1(4) of the Labour Migration Law.
Do not confuse permanent residence with an ordinary temporary residence permit. A permanent residence permit may be available after 10 years of qualifying residence under temporary permits, subject to the statutory exclusions; separate family grounds also exist. See the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons.
Remote work for overseas clients: what changed?
The original version of this article described foreign-client remote work as legally uncertain. The law now expressly excludes a person who performs work or provides services for a nonresident where the work or services relate to that nonresident's activities outside Georgia. It also excludes a person working fully remotely for a Georgian employer when the work does not require entry into Georgia. These are different exemptions, each with its own conditions. The nationality of the client or the location of the bank account alone does not settle the issue. Labour Migration Law, Article 1(4)(j)–(k).
For a Georgian-registered individual entrepreneur (IE) serving foreign clients, check the facts carefully. The July amendment to Ordinance No. 70 includes a qualification to the nonresident-client exemption where the individual entrepreneur needs a residence permit to stay lawfully in Georgia. A Georgian IE registration also raises questions about where the activity is carried out and whether the service genuinely relates to business conducted outside Georgia. Do not assume that every Georgian IE with overseas invoices is exempt, or that every such IE needs a permit. See Government Ordinance No. 321 of 9 July 2026.
Foreign founders, shareholders and company directors
Owning shares in a Georgian LLC is not necessarily the same as personally working for it. A foreign founder who manages the business, provides services or otherwise carries out income-generating activity in Georgia should assess whether an authorisation is required. A foreign director should also check how the company is categorised for accounting purposes: the law exempts qualifying managerial or governing activity in category I, II and III enterprises; the amended decree addresses directors of category IV enterprises as self-employed applicants. A director's title alone does not establish an exemption. Labour Migration Law, Articles 1 and 3; Ordinance No. 321.
If you manage a Georgian company from outside Georgia, the answer still depends on the actual work and any applicable exemption. There is no automatic rule that a foreign founder living abroad is exempt simply because the company is incorporated in Georgia.
Applying as a self-employed foreign national
The self-employed applicant applies personally through the Labour Migration Electronic System. The amended procedure does not permit an authorised representative to submit the application in the applicant's place. An adviser may help prepare the documents, but the applicant must complete the required steps personally.
The application calls for passport and identity details, residence information where relevant, qualifications and experience, the proposed activity and supporting business information. An established Georgian company or IE may need turnover evidence; a proposed new business may need a detailed business plan and evidence of resources. A passport must have at least six months' remaining validity when the application is filed. The applicant then attends a mandatory video interview with the agency, presents the original passport and confirms the electronic application at the end of the interview. The interview is held in Georgian or English; an interpreter may attend if needed. The agency arranges the recording. Ordinance No. 321, amended Article 4 and Annex 2.
For an existing company or IE, the amended rules generally require evidence of annual turnover of at least GEL 50,000 per foreign applicant, or GEL 35,000 for an educational or medical institution. There is an exception to submitting the turnover certificate when the company or IE was registered no more than three months earlier. The exact evidence differs depending on VAT registration. These are business turnover tests, not government permit fees or the applicant's monthly salary. Ordinance No. 321, Annex 2 amendments.
Hiring a foreign employee through a Georgian employer
Ordinarily, before applying, the employer publishes the vacancy on Worknet for at least 10 working days. The agency searches for suitable local candidates during that vacancy period. If it cannot provide a suitable candidate, the employer may proceed. If a candidate is proposed and rejected, the employer must provide a reasoned response within three working days after selection ends; the agency then reviews the reasons within three working days. This is one 10-working-day vacancy period, not two consecutive periods. Some specified employers, specialists and qualifying positions are excepted from these vacancy-search steps. The employer still needs to check the separate permit requirements. Ordinance No. 70, Article 5.
The employer applies through the electronic labour migration system with the employment contract, information about the job and candidate, supporting evidence and the fee. The written contract must be for a fixed term and in Georgian and a language the employee understands. The employer pays the permit fee. Where the employer expects to hire more than five foreign nationals in a calendar year, or their number exceeds 5% of its workforce (subject to the rule's five-person floor), it must agree an annual employer quota through the system at least 10 working days before applying. This employer quota is separate from the profession quotas discussed below. Labour Migration Law, Article 132; Ordinance No. 321, Article 5 amendment.
The July changes also require turnover evidence for employers: generally at least GEL 50,000 annually per foreign permit applicant, or GEL 35,000 for education or medical institutions. The certificate requirement does not apply to a company registered within the preceding three months if it employs no more than three foreign nationals. Document requirements depend on VAT status. Check these conditions before promising a start date. Ordinance No. 321, Annex 1 amendments.
Government processing fees
| Service | Decision period after a complete submission | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Initial application, standard | Up to 30 calendar days | GEL 200 |
| Initial application, expedited | Up to 10 working days | GEL 400 |
| Extension | Up to 30 calendar days | GEL 200 |
These periods start after the complete application and required documents are submitted. They do not include any prior Worknet vacancy period, employer quota arrangements, or visa and residence processing. Fees are stated in GEL to avoid misleading exchange-rate estimates. Ordinance No. 70, Articles 5 and 11.
Right to work, immigration visa and residence status
The right to work and lawful immigration status are separate requirements. Unless a statutory exemption applies, a person outside Georgia must apply for a D1 immigration visa within 30 calendar days of obtaining the right to work. A person already in Georgia must apply for a work residence permit or qualifying IT residence permit within 10 calendar days. A person who already holds another valid Georgian residence permit does not have to make that additional application merely to satisfy this step, although the separate right-to-work requirement may still apply. A person working completely remotely without needing to enter Georgia is also excused from this follow-up visa or residence application. Labour Migration Law, Article 135.
If applying from inside Georgia, the foreign national must be lawfully present when applying. Work-residence and IT-residence applications have their own eligibility criteria; a right-to-work decision does not guarantee a residence permit. The decree also sets rules for when a first authorisation comes into force, depending on whether the person already holds a residence permit or obtains the required D1 visa or permit afterward. Ordinance No. 70, Articles 2 and 10.
Validity, renewals and changes
An ordinary initial right to work lasts six months to one year from the applicable commencement date. During the first five years, extensions are for no more than one year each; after five continuous years, later extensions may be for one to five years. For qualifying IT workers and self-employed IT professionals, an initial authorisation and subsequent extensions may each run for up to three years. Apply for an extension at least 30 calendar days before expiry. Ordinance No. 70, Articles 8 and 10.
An employee's authorisation identifies a particular employer and position; a self-employed person's identifies the speciality and activity field. Changing employer or changing the authorised activity normally requires a corresponding new right to work. Under the July amendment, a contract change limited to the level of an employee's position, salary or schedule does not itself require a fresh authorisation or notification of that change in the system. Employers must otherwise report early termination or relevant amendments to the contract within five calendar days. Labour Migration Law, Article 135; Ordinance No. 321.
2026 sector quotas and short-term work
Annex 3 to Ordinance No. 70 sets the following annual quotas for rights to work in the listed activities. They affect applications under the permit system and must be read together with statutory exemptions and the exceptions in the decree.
| Activity | Annual quota |
|---|---|
| Courier services | 0 |
| Passenger transport | 0 |
| Tourist guiding | 0 |
| Mountain, alpine and ski guiding for tourists | 200 |
A zero quota is a bar to obtaining a new right to work under that quota, not a statement that every foreign national is prohibited from the activity regardless of exemption. Check the precise activity and any applicable special rule. Ordinance No. 70, Annex 3.
A separate exemption is available for certain short-term professional activities linked to a particular project, event or service. Under the July rules, the activity may not exceed an aggregate of four months in a calendar year or the person's period of lawful stay. Before work begins, the local employer or service organiser must register the person in the electronic system and obtain confirmation of the registration; registration is free. This route does not apply to activities subject to the Annex 3 annual quotas. Calling ordinary continuing work a short-term project does not make it exempt. Ordinance No. 321, Article 1 amendment.
Transitional dates: what still matters in September 2026?
- 1 March 2026: the permit framework entered into force.
- 1 May 2026: enforcement began for self-employed foreign nationals already carrying out the covered activity on 1 March. This date has passed; it is not a future application deadline.
- 1 January 2027: labour immigrants whose registration in the ministry database was active on 1 March 2026 must obtain the right to work and the appropriate residence status by this date. The transitional benefit does not automatically cover newly hired workers or anyone whose registration was not active on the specified date.
Ordinance No. 85 of 26 February 2026; Labour Migration Law, Article 17(22).
Fines and enforcement
| Violation | First offence | Repeated offence | Further offence under the provision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covered work without a right to work: foreign employee, self-employed person, or local employer/service organiser (per worker) | 2,000 | 4,000 | 12,000 |
| Employer's failure to report a relevant termination, amendment or extension (per worker) | 1,000 | 2,000 | 6,000 |
| Changing the authorised employer or activity without renewing the right to work | 2,000 | 4,000 | 12,000 |
These are distinct violations under Articles 161, 165 and 166 of the Labour Migration Law. For unauthorised employment, the local employer or service organiser may be fined for each affected worker, and the worker may separately be fined. An appeal against a refusal does not itself authorise work while the appeal is pending. Other immigration consequences can arise under the relevant law.
Practical checks before starting work or hiring
- Identify the actual activity, where it is performed, and whether the customer or employer is resident in Georgia.
- Check permanent residence and every potentially applicable statutory exemption before paying a non-refundable application fee.
- For an IE or LLC, identify the company category, registration date, VAT status, turnover evidence and the number of foreign applicants.
- For an employee, allow time for any Worknet posting and employer quota approval, then the permit decision and immigration application.
- Keep the contract, authorisation, residence documents and future renewal dates aligned. Report relevant changes on time.
CompanyRegistration.ge assists international clients with Georgian company and IE registration and related compliance planning. Contact our team to review the proposed activity and the applicable authorisation route before the business begins operating.
Frequently asked questions
Does every foreign national need a work permit in Georgia?
No. The right-to-work requirement principally concerns foreign nationals without permanent residence who undertake covered employment or entrepreneurial activity. Statutory exemptions, including some remote work and certain residence or activity categories, must be considered individually.
I am a Georgian IE and invoice only foreign clients. Am I exempt?
Possibly, if the statutory nonresident-client exemption applies to the actual services. The July 2026 decree qualifies that exemption for an entrepreneur natural person who needs a residence permit to stay lawfully in Georgia. The IE registration, location of work, nature of clients and residence position all need review.
Does an LLC founder need personal authorisation?
Incorporation alone does not decide the issue. A founder who personally manages or works for the company may need the right to work. Qualifying managerial work in a category I, II or III enterprise is expressly exempt; directors of category IV companies should check the self-employed procedure.
Does my existing temporary residence permit remove the work-permit requirement?
Generally no. It may remove the additional obligation to apply for a new work or IT residence permit after the right to work is granted, but it is not in itself a general exemption from obtaining the right to work. Permanent residence and specific statutory exemptions are treated differently.
How long will an employer's application take?
Allow for any 10-working-day Worknet vacancy period, any required employer quota process and a government permit decision of up to 30 calendar days after the complete submission (or up to 10 working days for the expedited service). Visa or residence processing is separate.
Can a pending application or appeal allow me to begin working?
Do not assume so. An application is not an authorisation; the law expressly states that appealing a decision does not create a right to work during the appeal.