Georgia Immigration Reform 2025: New Work Permit Rules for Foreign Nationals

Georgia has undertaken a major overhaul of its immigration and labour-migration laws. The legislative amendments introduced in mid-2025—and entering into force in phases from September 2025 through March 2026 and beyond—signal a shift from a relatively liberal approach for foreign nationals toward a more regulated, compliance-oriented immigration model.

For foreign nationals and employers this marks a fundamental change: more formal requirements, stricter monitoring, tighter timelines and harsher consequences for non-compliance.

What the New Work Permit Rules Mean 

One of the most notable updates under the new Immigration reform is the introduction of a formal work permit requirement for foreign nationals who wish to engage in paid employment, business, or self-employment in Georgia.

Under the current (old) regime, many foreigners, including those legally resident, could perform work without a dedicated work permit. The new reforms change that.

From 1 March 2026, most foreign nationals will need a work permit before starting employment or business activity in Georgia. Further details of the application process are yet to be announced.

Key Dates and Transition Periods 

A transition period is in place to ensure a smoother shift to the new system:

• • • Foreign nationals already registered in Georgia’s existing labour-migration database by 1 March 2026 will have until 1 January 2027 to regularise their status.

• • • Employers are required to register their foreign employees through an electronic labour-migration portal and submit the necessary applications.

What Employers and Foreign Workers Must Do

For foreign nationals, these changes mean that from 1 March 2026 onwards, simply holding a visa or being a resident does not automatically permit paid work or business activity.

Employers hiring foreign nationals to work in Georgia should:

• • • Plan ahead: Ensure work permits are obtained before employment, or business begins.
    • Audit current foreign workers: Conduct a thorough review of all current foreign workers, assess their registration status, and ensure they begin transition to the new system early.
    • Monitor compliance: Follow updated registration procedures, monitor adherence to requirements, and meet the stricter timelines under the new regulations.

The recent reforms indicate that Georgia aims to take more control over the foreign population performing work in the country— likely to protect domestic employment interests and ensure formalisation of employment of foreigners.

Penalties for Non-Compliance 

Penalties under the new labour migration reforms in Georgia are significant.

• • • Acting without the required authorisation or failing to register foreign workers properly can lead to a fine of GEL 2,000 per person, with doubling or tripling for repeat offences.
    • Failure to comply may also result in deportation and inability to renew or extend residence permits.

Challenges and Questions Ahead

• • • Some operational details are not yet fully clarified. For example, it remains uncertain exactly how “remote work for a foreign employer” will be treated under the work-permit regime in Georgia.
    • The administrative capacities of the Georgian authorities will also be tested as processing volumes may increase significantly and timelines (30 days for right to engage in labour activity) may become tight.
    • Transitional compliance risk remains for those who are already working in Georgia. They may need to regularise their status by January 2027. Delays in taking action could result in penalties.

How Fragomen Can Help

Georgia’s immigration laws are relatively new and still in flux. Fragomen is closely monitoring the implementation of the immigration and labour migration reforms, and has previously published an alert regarding the forthcoming work permit system.

Fragomen’s experienced immigration professionals work with businesses of all sizes to understand new regulatory requirements, develop compliant immigration strategies, and support their workforce needs under Georgia’s new immigration and work permit framework.

Need To Know More?

For questions related to Georgia’s immigration reforms, visit Fragomen’s Georgia services page for employers or individuals to schedule a consultation, or contact Manager Zaur Gasimov at [email protected].

This blog was published on 3 November 2025, and due to the circumstances, there are frequent changes. To keep up to date with all the latest updates on global immigration, please subscribe to our alerts and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.