Georgia Work Permit 2026: Complete Guide for Foreign Nationals

Georgia has long been one of the most accessible countries in the world for foreign entrepreneurs and remote workers. Low taxes, visa-free entry for over 90 nationalities, and a straightforward company registration process made it a magnet for expats. In 2026, the rules changed. If you earn money in Georgia, manage a Georgian company, or run a business here, you almost certainly need a Georgia work permit — and the window to act is narrowing fast.

---

Who Needs a Georgia Work Permit in 2026?

The law that came into force on 1 March 2026 — formally known as Government Resolution No. 70 — introduced the "Right to Engage in Labour Activity" (colloquially called the Special Labour Activity Permit or Right to Work). This requirement applies to a far broader group than most foreign nationals initially assumed.

Employees of Georgian Companies

Any foreign national hired by a Georgian legal entity, whether on a local or international contract, must hold a valid work permit before starting employment. The employer is jointly responsible for compliance. If either party is found without the permit, both face fines.

Individual Entrepreneurs (IE)

Georgia's Individual Entrepreneur status has historically been the go-to structure for freelancers and digital nomads. Under the new framework, a foreign national who registers as an IE and conducts any business activity in Georgia falls within the permit requirement. This includes billing clients, managing operations, and receiving payments through a Georgian business registration.

Company Directors and Partners

Foreign nationals acting as directors, managing partners, or shareholders who actively participate in the management of a Georgian company are also covered. Passive ownership is a grey area that has not yet been officially clarified, but legal experts recommend caution.

Independent Contractors

Providing services to a Georgian company as an independent contractor triggers the same obligation as formal employment. The key factor is whether the activity takes place within Georgia's jurisdiction and generates financial gain.

---

Who Is Exempt from the Georgia Work Permit Requirement?

Not every foreign national in Georgia needs to file an application. The following categories are explicitly excluded from the permit requirement:

• Permanent residence permit holders — no additional work authorisation needed
• Holders of an investment residence permit (USD 300,000 threshold) — exempt from labour activity permits
• Diplomatic mission staff and their recognised family members
• Refugees and asylum seekers registered with the relevant Georgian authorities
• Accredited foreign media representatives
• Foreign nationals residing outside Georgia who provide services exclusively to clients located outside Georgia

That last exemption is critical for remote workers. If you live abroad and your clients are abroad, you fall outside the law's scope. The moment you establish a physical presence in Georgia and earn income with a Georgian registration, the permit requirement kicks in.

---

The Application Process: Step by Step

Applying for a Georgia work permit is a two-stage process managed through the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons, Labour, Health and Social Affairs (MOH). The online portal is labourmigration.moh.gov.ge.

Stage 1: Right to Engage in Labour Activity

This is the foundational permit. You submit your application through the portal, pay the state fee, and await a decision.

Required Documents

Document	Notes
Valid passport (copy)	Must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the application date
Passport-size photograph	Digital format, white background
Employment contract or IE registration	Proof of labour relationship or self-employment
Employer's company extract	If employed; obtained from the National Agency of Public Registry
Proof of address in Georgia	Lease agreement, utility bill, or hotel confirmation
Video interview confirmation	Mandatory for self-employed applicants
State fee payment receipt	Standard: up to 500 GEL; expedited processing available

The Video Interview for Self-Employed Applicants

If you are applying as an Individual Entrepreneur or independent contractor, the MOH requires a video interview as part of the review process. The interview assesses the nature of your business activity and your ties to the Georgian labour market. There is currently no published rubric for what passes or fails, and no official appeal procedure has been defined. This remains one of the most contested procedural elements of the new system.

Processing Time

Standard processing takes up to 30 calendar days. An expedited option exists, though the fee structure and guaranteed timelines are subject to change. Given the 30-day window, applicants should submit well before they intend to begin activity.

Stage 2: Residence Permit or D1 Visa

Once the Right to Engage in Labour Activity is granted, you must take the next step within 10 calendar days if you are already present in Georgia:

• Apply to the State Service Development Agency (SSDA) for a Work Residence Permit, or
• Apply for a D1 Work Visa if you need to re-enter from abroad

The Work Residence Permit requires the sponsoring business to demonstrate at least 50,000 GEL in declared revenue over the preceding 12 months. For newly established businesses, this creates a significant procedural obstacle discussed in detail below.

---

The 10-Day Problem: A Legal Paradox for New Businesses

One of the most pressing unresolved issues in Government Resolution No. 70 is what legal experts have called the "vicious circle." It affects every foreign national who arrives in Georgia, registers a new IE or LLC, and applies for a work permit from scratch.

The sequence the law creates is as follows:

1. You register your business in Georgia
2. You apply for the Right to Engage in Labour Activity (up to 30 days processing)
3. The permit is granted
4. You have 10 calendar days to apply for a Work Residence Permit
5. The residence permit requires 50,000 GEL in revenue from the preceding 12 months
6. Your business was just created — you have no revenue history
7. Furthermore, earning revenue before the permit is activated may constitute illegal work
8. Without revenue, no residence permit; without residence permit, the work permit never activates

This circular dependency appears to be a drafting oversight rather than deliberate policy. The regulation was primarily designed with existing Georgian employers hiring foreign workers in mind. When applied to foreign entrepreneurs building a business from the ground up, it produces outcomes that are practically unworkable.

Legal practitioners expect the MOH to issue a clarifying amendment addressing this scenario in the months ahead. Until then, the safest approach is to work with an immigration lawyer before registering any entity in Georgia. If you need a case-specific assessment before filing, you can contact our team.

---

Sector-Specific Quotas: Zero Means Zero

Resolution No. 70 introduced sector-based quotas for certain roles, and for some professions the quota is explicitly set at zero. Foreign nationals cannot legally work in these categories regardless of their permit status:

• Couriers and delivery workers
• Taxi and ride-hailing drivers (including Bolt and Yandex Go operators)
• Tourist guides (with a limited exception of 200 permits for mountain trekking guides)

For all other sectors, quotas are published through the Worknet platform operated by the Employment Agency. The quota system means that even a complete and correctly filed application may be denied if the relevant sector quota has been exhausted for the period.

---

Fines and Enforcement

The penalty structure for non-compliance is tiered and applies to both the foreign national and any Georgian employer involved.

Fine Schedule

Violation	First Offence	Second Offence	Third and Subsequent
Foreign national working without a permit	2,000 GEL	4,000 GEL	6,000 GEL
Georgian employer employing without a permit	2,000 GEL	4,000 GEL	6,000 GEL

Fines are cumulative. Both parties pay independently, meaning a single violation can result in a combined penalty of 4,000 GEL for the first offence alone.

When Will Enforcement Begin in Earnest?

The law is in force as of 1 March 2026. The transition provisions offer some protection:

• Foreign nationals already registered in the labour migration system before 1 March 2026 have until 1 January 2027 to complete their transition
• Foreign nationals who enter or begin activity after 1 March 2026 have no transition period — compliance is required immediately

Industry observers and legal advisors note that large-scale inspections are more likely after May 2026, once the initial registration rush has subsided. However, this is not an official position, and operating without a permit remains a legal risk from day one.

---

How the Georgia Work Permit Interacts with the IT Residence Permit

Georgia introduced the IT Residence Permit in September 2025 as a separate pathway for technology professionals. It is not a work permit, but it does affect how the two-stage process works for IT workers.

Key Features of the IT Residence Permit

• Duration: 3 years, renewable in 3-year increments up to a maximum of 12 years
• Minimum income requirement: USD 25,000 per year (source of income is not restricted to Georgia)
• Minimum experience: 2 years in an IT-related field
• Physical presence rule: absence from Georgia for more than 183 consecutive days within any 12-month period can trigger revocation

The 183-Day Question

The law specifies 183 consecutive days, but the practical interpretation of "consecutive" versus "cumulative within a 12-month period" has not been officially clarified. For professionals who travel frequently, this distinction can mean the difference between a valid permit and revocation. Until the MOH publishes formal guidance, tracking consecutive absence carefully is the safer approach.

IT IE + IT Residence Permit: The Optimal Setup

For technology professionals, combining an IT-registered Individual Entrepreneur with an IT Residence Permit currently represents the most legally clean and tax-efficient structure available in Georgia. The IT IE exempts qualifying foreign-sourced IT income from personal income tax, while the IT Residence Permit provides a stable multi-year immigration status. If your structure also involves VAT registration, IE compliance, or Georgian business banking, read our Georgia Qualified VAT Status guide alongside this work permit analysis.

---

What Happens to Existing Individual Entrepreneurs?

Foreign nationals who already held an active IE registration before 1 March 2026 are not immediately in violation. However, they must obtain the Right to Engage in Labour Activity by 1 May 2026 to remain compliant.

Steps for existing IE holders:

1. Register on the MOH labour migration portal
2. Submit the permit application with your existing IE documentation
3. Complete the video interview if prompted
4. Once the permit is granted, confirm your residence status with the SSDA if needed

Failure to act by 1 May 2026 means operating outside the law. Given the 30-day processing window, submitting the application by early April is strongly recommended.

---

Practical Checklist Before You Begin Activity in Georgia

Whether you are arriving for the first time or transitioning from an existing setup, use this checklist before earning any income through a Georgian registration:

• Confirm whether your nationality qualifies for visa-free entry and the maximum permitted stay
• Determine whether your business activity falls within the permit requirement or the foreign-client exemption
• Register on the MOH labour migration portal
• Prepare all required documents before submitting (incomplete applications restart the clock)
• Confirm that your target sector is not subject to a zero quota
• Submit the application at least 35 days before you intend to begin activity, accounting for processing time
• Arrange private health insurance meeting Georgian requirements (mandatory as of January 2026)
• Consult a licensed Georgian immigration lawyer if your situation involves a newly registered entity or no prior revenue history

---

Georgia Work Permit 2026: Key Dates at a Glance

Date	Event
1 January 2026	Mandatory health insurance for foreign nationals takes effect
1 March 2026	Right to Engage in Labour Activity system goes live; immediate compliance required for new entrants
1 May 2026	Deadline for existing IE holders to obtain the work permit without penalty
1 January 2027	End of transition period for foreign employees registered in the system before 1 March 2026

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Georgia work permit if all my clients are outside Georgia?

If you reside outside Georgia and provide services exclusively to foreign clients, you fall outside the scope of Resolution No. 70. If you are physically present in Georgia and operate through a Georgian IE or company registration, the exemption does not apply, regardless of where your clients are located. The law looks at where you conduct the activity, not where your revenue originates.

Can I apply for the work permit before arriving in Georgia?

Yes. The application is submitted through the online portal and does not require physical presence in Georgia at the time of submission. The D1 work visa pathway is specifically designed for applicants who will travel to Georgia after the permit is issued.

What if my work permit application is rejected?

There is currently no published administrative appeal mechanism under Resolution No. 70. Rejection means you cannot legally commence activity until you reapply and receive approval. Given this gap, working with legal counsel to prepare a complete and correct initial application is far more cost-effective than managing a rejection.

Does the Georgia work permit affect my tax residency status?

The work permit system and the tax residency framework are legally separate. However, holding an active work permit and conducting activity in Georgia significantly strengthens the argument that you are a Georgian tax resident, which has implications for how your worldwide income is treated. Anyone establishing a presence in Georgia in 2026 should obtain a formal tax analysis alongside immigration advice.

How much does it cost to get a Georgia work permit?

The state fee is capped at 500 GEL for standard processing. Legal and consultancy fees vary by provider and complexity of the case. Budget additionally for mandatory health insurance, any required document translations, and potential notarisation costs.

I registered my LLC in Georgia but I live abroad and manage it remotely. Do I need a permit?

This remains legally contested. The law covers directors who "conduct labour activity in Georgia," but remote management from outside Georgia sits in a grey area. A formal legal opinion is advisable before drawing any conclusions about your specific situation.

---

This article reflects the legal framework as of March 2026. Georgia's immigration and labour regulations are subject to ongoing amendment. The information provided is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your circumstances, contact a licensed Georgian immigration practitioner.