Visa Rules for Foreign Workers in Georgia 2026
The government of Georgia implemented significant updates to Resolution No. 70 on 9 July 2026, fundamentally altering how foreign nationals and self-employed individuals manage their right to work within the country. These regulatory shifts impact every employer hiring international talent and every foreign individual performing labor activities. You must understand that these mandates are now in effect, meaning immediate compliance is necessary to avoid enforcement actions, which may include fines or restricted access to the labor market. A major update involves the introduction of a specialized regime for short-term labor. This category covers work tied to specific projects, services, or events that do not constitute long-term local employment.
Registration for this short-term status remains free of state charges.
Documentation must clearly define the limited duration and nature of the task to avoid misclassification issues.
For businesses planning to hire larger numbers of international staff, new quota and turnover rules apply.
If your company intends to employ more than five foreign nationals in a single calendar year, or if your international headcount exceeds five percent of your total workforce, you are required to secure an annual quota.
You must apply for this quota through the official businessstatement.moh.gov.ge portal at least 10 working days before you initiate any work authorization steps.
A core requirement for securing this quota is meeting a minimum annual turnover threshold per foreign worker.
Generally, this is set at GEL 50,000 per individual.
If your entity operates in the medical or educational sectors, you benefit from a reduced threshold of GEL 35,000.
You need to track these quotas carefully throughout the year as hiring needs evolve.
One positive administrative change is the removal of the previous requirement to post job vacancies on the Worknet platform. You no longer have to navigate that specific step as a prerequisite for gaining work authorization. While this reduces the administrative burden, it increases the importance of accurate data submission through the new mandatory electronic registration system.
You must ensure that all coordination between your visa applications and residence permits is perfectly aligned with your registered work status.
You must maintain precise records of all foreign staff, their specific work activity status, and your overall organizational turnover figures to satisfy the updated reporting expectations.
The updated framework shifts the burden of compliance heavily toward the employer, requiring rigorous monitoring of international payroll and workforce composition. This regulatory environment requires precise attention to detail, as any discrepancy between your filed quota and actual hiring could halt your ability to onboard necessary international personnel.